About 2.5 weeks ago I had 4 cavities filled. Two on top and two on bottom. After the procedure a lymph node under my jaw bone became swollen now one on my neck is enlarged.

I’ve not been sick so I didn’t know if it’s common to experience swollen or enlarged lymph nodes after a simple procedure.

The importance of good personal oral hygiene cannot be emphasized enough. This includes brushing twice a day for two minutes, not to mention flossing daily, and the great benefits of using a tongue scraper.

This makes taking care of these tools such as your toothbrush, extremely vital. To make sure that we get the most out of our toothbrushes, and maintain their effectiveness, maintenance is essential.

The mouth carries various types of bacteria and these shift onto the toothbrushes while it is being used. Additionally, toothbrushes can also gather the bacteria that is found in the air surrounding the atmosphere from where they are stored.

Below are recommendations to follow in order to get the best out of your toothbrushes. This will aid in keeping them clean and effective.

1. Every three to four months, you should replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head. It may even need to be replaced sooner if the bristles become frayed, visibly matted and worn out from use.
2. For any parents out there, make sure to check your children’s toothbrushes for frays and wears. The toothbrushes of children often need replacing more frequently than adults.
3. Never share your toothbrush! Sharing a toothbrush with another person could result in an exchange of body fluids and microorganisms between you and the other person.
4. Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly with tap water after use. When you soak your toothbrush with water, it will help to remove remaining toothpaste and other debris. Using hot water may help with this.
5. If you share the same toothbrush holder with others, do not allow your toothbrushes to be in contact with each other. This is significant to avoid risks of cross-contamination.
6. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends keeping toothbrushes in an upright position after using them to let them dry in open air. It

Hello all,

Hoping this question is allowed on this sub.

I just had a check up after multiple years, and one of my concerns was the visibly black specks on a couple of my molars. They don’t hurt particularly, only occasionally after I’ve touched them and even then it’s a very minimal amount of pain.

That being said, they are visibly dark as I said and I read online that cavities look like that and that they should be fixed before they advance and become a bigger problem.

Now I know that this sub always says to trust your dentist. However, she took x rays and said I have nothing to worry about and that I was good to go. I was surprised and asked her to clarify if she really didn’t think I had any cavities, to which she responded “yes there are some on the surface but it’s nothing to worry about if they don’t hurt, just brush your teeth”. I asked if they will progress and become deeper she said no. She did offer to fix them but by this time I had a funny feeling and didn’t trust the clinic anymore (first time there) and thought to myself I’ll go get them fixed elsewhere, thanked her and left. They did seem very full and rushed so Im not sure whether that had something to do with it.

Is this a standard practice? I’m surprised because it’s not the first time I had cavities, I used to get them all the time when I was little and I cannot remember ever having a dentist tell me that they will leave cavities in my mouth. I can also smell a nasty stench when I floss in-between the affected molars so that’s another reason I wanted them fixed. I

I’m a 3rd year dental student and I really struggle with upper posterior teeth due to indirect vision. I feel I cannot coordinate using the mirror very well and when I can the mirror gets wet and I cannot see through it. Can you give me some advice please? Thank you 🙂

I would really really appreciate help with my problem, I’m a dentist and I got a needle prick yesterday from a needle that was blood contaminated from a 7 year old patient. Before getting vaccinated, my titer was 5.1ml , I managed to get the first TWO doses of HepB vaccine but never got the third( was supposed to be in april), am I at risk of getting Hepatitis B? Or is it all my anxiety and there’s nothing to worry about? Any answer is much much appreciated