Ben and Gary Show Episodes

What To Do When You Have Pain In Your Mouth

Call your dentist, of course. One of us is always on call in case of emergency.

Here's how we determine if your problem is urgent or whether it can wait until the next day. 

We ask you to describe your pain to determine if it is a tooth, gum, or nerve problem.

• Can you pinpoint pain to one tooth - likely a tooth problem
• Is the pain generalized - likely a gum problem with a trapped husk or seed 
• Is there swelling - may need an antibiotic
• Is the pain is greater than 5 on a scale of 1-10 - most likely a nerve issue
• Is there temperature sensitivity - likely a tooth problem

For swelling, we typically call in an antibiotic. For pain, we prescribe the combination of over the counter Aleve and Tylenol, or a combination of over the counter Advil and Tylenol.

These have been shown to work as well as super controlled narcotic pain relievers, which require a written not a called in...

How Do You Select a Dentist?

When choosing a dentist, most people ask someone they know. Understand that what is right for that person may not be right for you.

Ask them for details

• How well does their dentist communicate with them
• Is he on time
• Is the office clean
• Is there a system

Is their dentist good?

• Do they come back for the same problem
• Is the dentist current with the technology 
• How does the dentist's team treat them
• How does the dentist treat his team
• Does the dentist seem rushed
• Does food get trapped where the work was done
• Do gums bleed regularly after work is done
• Is their odor after the work is done
• Is there pain when biting down
• If there are complications, does their dentist's team work to resolve them 

Does their dentist's office look like a museum?

• Technology is changing dentistry
• Does their dentist invest in new technology
• Does he invest in training for himself and his team

Quality dentistry is more than the...