Pimple on Your Gum: What It Is and What to Do A pimple on your gum is almost never a real pimple. In most cases it is a small drainage point for an infection, called an abscess, sitting in the gum or at the root of a tooth. It can feel painless, which makes it easy to...
Broken Bracket: What to Do Until You’re Seen A bracket that has snapped or popped off your braces feels dramatic, but it is rarely a true emergency. The short version: stay calm, cover anything sharp with orthodontic wax, don’t try to glue or bend anything yourself,...
Toothache at Night: 5 Safe Steps, Sleep Tips, and Red Flags Toothache at night feels worse because lying down sends more blood to your head and the quiet leaves nothing to distract you. Decay, infection, a cracked tooth or grinding are the usual causes. Tonight, rinse...
White Spots on Teeth: Decay or a Developmental Defect? Most white spots on teeth are either early enamel demineralisation or a developmental change, and only some signal active damage. If a spot is new, spreading or sensitive, book a dental assessment soon. Treatment...
Tooth Knocked Loose? 6 Steps for Caregivers, Then Dental Reviews If a tooth has been knocked loose, stay calm and avoid touching or wiggling it. Bite gently on a clean piece of gauze to hold it steady, and see a dentist the same day if you can. Below, we cover first...
Filling Fell Out? What to Do in the First Few Hours in NZ Rinse your mouth gently with warm water, avoid chewing on that tooth, and keep any fragment you can find in a clean container. Call your dentist to arrange an assessment as soon as you can. If you have severe...
Dry Socket Prevention for NZ: Protect the Clot in the First 72 Hours Protect the blood clot and avoid suction or trauma. That single approach reduces your risk of dry socket more than any other step you can take. Don’t smoke, skip the straw, avoid spitting, keep your...
Veneer Lifespans: Composite 5–7 Years, Ceramic 10–15+ Composite veneers typically last around 5 to 7 years before needing repair or replacement, while ceramic veneers (feldspathic, lithium disilicate and zirconia) commonly reach 10 to 15 years or more. The single...
Chipped Tooth Repair: Missing Piece? When NZ Patients Need Urgent Care Most small chips are repaired with bonding or a filling, done in a single visit. Larger breaks often need a crown, veneer or root canal, and severe damage may mean extraction and replacement....
Tooth Infection: What Salty, Bitter, or Foul Tastes Can Signal A persistent salty, bitter or foul taste often points to a tooth infection or a draining dental abscess, especially when it sits on one side of your mouth. If the taste is new, keeps coming back, or comes...
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