http://askthedentistclinics.com/

Ask The Dentist NG, Yemetu Adeoyo Street, Agbadagbudu Area, Ibadan (2026)

14/10/2026

That toothpick you reach for after every meal? It might be doing more harm than good.

Food stuck in your teeth after a meal, and without thinking twice, you grab a toothpick. It feels harmless. It's not, especially when it becomes a habit. Toothpicks are usually hard and pointed, built to dig food out fast, not built with your gum tissue in mind. Used too often, or too aggressively, they can injure your gums, causing small cuts or irritation that leave them sore and prone to bleeding.

Repeated injury to the same spot over time can cause your gums to recede, pulling back and exposing the root of your tooth. Exposed roots aren't just sensitive, they're also more vulnerable to decay, since that part of the tooth isn't protected by hard enamel. There's also the gap problem. Constantly forcing a toothpick between the same two teeth can gradually widen the space between them over time, and once that gap grows, it becomes an even easier spot for food to get trapped, meaning you reach for the toothpick even more. It becomes a cycle that keeps making things worse.

In some cases, toothpicks can also break off and lodge beneath the gum, which can lead to infection if it isn't noticed and removed. So what should you actually use? Dental floss or an interdental brush, designed specifically to clean between teeth safely without injuring your gums. If food keeps getting trapped in the same spot repeatedly, that's not normal, and it's worth having a dentist check if there's a gap, decay, or an old filling causing it.

Drop the toothpick. Pick up floss instead. Your gums will thank you.

Share this 🔁 and follow me for more dental truths that keep your whole family smiling. 🦷

07/10/2026

We had an amazing day at Sango Iyana Poly during the 10:17 Festival Outside Broadcast! 🎉💙

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, support the festival, and make the day truly memorable.

Your love and support mean so much to us. ❤️

28/09/2026

"Braces are painful." Is that really true?

It's the biggest lie many people have been told about braces, and it has stopped a lot of them from getting treatment for years. Someone once said "it's too painful, don't do it," and that was enough to close the door. Let's separate the myth from the truth.

Braces cause discomfort, not constant severe pain, and those are two very different things. When braces are placed, your teeth begin to move under gentle, steady pressure. That pressure can leave them feeling tender and sore, especially when chewing. The soreness usually shows up within hours of getting your braces and settles within a few days. The same can happen for a day or two after adjustment appointments. Most people describe it as a dull ache or pressure, like the teeth are being gently pushed, not a sharp or unbearable pain.

The other common complaint is irritation. Brackets and wires can rub against the inside of your cheeks and lips and cause small sores. Orthodontic wax placed over the rough spots gives quick relief. During the first few days, soft foods like rice, soup, yoghurt, and mashed potatoes make eating much easier while your teeth adjust. If you need pain relief, ask your dentist which option is safe for you rather than self-medicating blindly.

Here's the important part: discomfort that fades in a few days is normal. Severe pain that keeps getting worse, a bracket poking your gum, or a wire that has come loose is not. Don't tough it out. See your orthodontist.

Braces don't have to be the horror story people make them out to be. A few uncomfortable days is a small price for a healthy, aligned smile that lasts a lifetime.

Share this 🔁 and follow me for more dental truths that keep your whole family smiling. 🦷

26/09/2026

Loading your toothbrush like you're spreading sandwich filling?

That's not cleaning your teeth better. It's just wasting your toothpaste.

A lot of people believe more toothpaste means a deeper clean. It's one of the most common misconceptions in daily oral care. Here's the truth: all you actually need is a pea-sized amount. Not a full brush-covering layer, just a small pea-sized dab.

Toothpaste isn't the one doing the cleaning by itself. Your toothbrush bristles, through proper technique, are what physically remove plaque from your teeth. Toothpaste's job is to support that process, deliver fluoride, freshen breath, and help protect enamel. It's a helper, not the main worker.

Loading up excess toothpaste doesn't multiply its cleaning power. It just creates more foam, and a lot of people mistake that foam for "extra clean." In reality, that foam often makes people rinse and spit out faster because their mouth feels "full," cutting their brushing time short instead of extending it. So more toothpaste can actually lead to a less thorough brush, the opposite of what most people are trying to achieve.

There's also the practical side of it. Using more than necessary every single day means your toothpaste finishes faster than it should, and that cost adds up over time.

What actually gives you a proper clean isn't the quantity of toothpaste on your brush. It's brushing technique: the right angle, gentle circular motions, and covering every surface for at least two minutes. So the next time you're squeezing that tube, remember that pea-sized is enough. Your toothbrush and your technique are doing the real work.

23/09/2026

Does pregnancy cause tooth decay?

Not directly, but pregnancy cravings for sweets sure can.

More sugar cravings = more cavity risk
Hormones make gums extra sensitive
Tired days = skipped brushing

The fix? Stay consistent with oral care, even when cravings hit.

👉 Expecting? Don't skip your dental checkups.

22/09/2026

When a dental bridge fails, what’s next? 🦷🤔
Root canal treatment or tooth replacement? Your dentist can help you find the RIGHT solution for your smile. ✨

19/09/2026

Thinking "it's just a baby tooth and will fall out anyway" so that dark spot can wait? 🤔

Let's talk about that dark spot or small hole in your child's tooth that isn't hurting them (yet). 🦷

First of all; I understand why it feels like there's no rush. It's a baby tooth, after all

But that mindset has caused more damage than most parents realize.

Baby teeth aren't just placeholders. They help your child chew properly, speak clearly, and most importantly, they hold the space for the permanent teeth growing underneath.

Decay doesn't pause just because a tooth is "temporary", left alone, it keeps advancing, deeper into the tooth, closer to the nerve, over time.

⚠️ Here's what most parents don't realise, no judgment, just facts and love:

→ By the time your child complains of pain, the decay has often already reached the nerve or caused an infection

→ From there, it can progress to swelling in the gum or face, abscesses, and in serious cases, emergency situations

→ Infection in a baby tooth can even spread to the permanent tooth developing underneath it

Here's the dental truth every parent deserves to hear:

Losing a baby tooth too early, due to decay rather than natural falling out, can also affect how the permanent teeth eventually align. Waiting for pain before acting isn't "being patient", it's giving the decay a head start.

✅ So what should you actually do?

→ Take your child to the nearest dental clinic as soon as you notice a dark spot, hole, or discoloration

→ Don't wait for pain as a sign to act

→ Treat decay in baby teeth as seriously as decay in permanent teeth

→ Ask your dentist about protecting the permanent tooth developing underneath 🦷

Simple. Early. Preventable.

Catching decay early is simpler, cheaper, and saves your child from unnecessary pain.

By the time symptoms are obvious, the decay has often already progressed further than expected.

Please don't wait for pain to confirm something is wrong.

Here's the heart of it all 👇🏾

A baby tooth falling out naturally is very different from one lost early to decay.

The checkup you book today could protect not just this tooth, but the permanent one waiting beneath it.

You don't need to panic; you just need to act early.

One checkup. One early catch. One properly protected smile,now and later.

That's enough to stop unnecessary pain before it starts. 💛

Share this 🔁 and follow me for more dental truths that keep your whole family smiling. 🦷

18/09/2026

Think your baby's diarrhea is "just teething"?

You're not alone; and I've got you. Let's talk. 🦷

That common belief that teething causes diarrhea in babies?

First of all; I understand why so many parents assume this. The timing seems to line up perfectly.

But here's what I need every parent to know:

Teething does not cause diarrhea in your baby. I know this might shock a lot of parents.

Let's start with the basics.

Teething usually begins around 4 to 6 months, and that timing matters, it's also around when babies start being introduced to new foods. That transition from just milk to new foods is a big adjustment for a baby's digestive system, so it's normal for stool to change slightly during this period.

⚠️ Here's what most parents don't realise, no judgment, just facts and love:

→ What looks like "teething causing diarrhea" is often really the digestive system adjusting to new food at the same time as teething

→ Teething causes real gum discomfort, and babies respond by putting things in their mouths, hands, toys, anything nearby

→ That constant hand-to-mouth behavior increases exposure to germs and bacteria

→ Increased germ exposure can lead to actual infections, and infections can cause diarrhea

Here's the truth every parent deserves to hear:

The diarrhea isn't from the teeth coming through. It's from what's happening around teething, the food transition and increased germ exposure.

✅ So what should you actually watch for?

→ Diarrhea alongside fever is NOT a normal teething symptom

→ Don't brush off fever as "just teething"

→ Take your baby to see a doctor to properly examine and rule out the actual cause

→ Don't assume; let a professional confirm 🦷

Simple. Important. Worth checking.

Let's talk about why this distinction matters; because this is more common than most parents realise.

If you assume "it's just teething," you might overlook something that actually needs attention.

Teething is uncomfortable enough for your baby without adding an unmanaged infection on top of it.

✅ Your action checklist:

→ Watch for fever alongside diarrhea, that's your sign to see a doctor

→ Don't attribute every symptom during this age to teething

→ Get proper medical evaluation instead of assuming

→ Keep introducing new foods gradually, and monitor your baby's response

Here's the heart of it all 👇🏾

Teething and diarrhea often just happen to overlap, they're not cause and effect.

The visit you book today could catch something teething alone would never explain.

You don't need to panic; you just need to check.

One doctor's visit. One proper diagnosis. One less thing incorrectly blamed on teething.

That's enough to protect your baby from an overlooked infection. 💛

Share this 🔁 and follow me for more dental truths that keep your whole family smiling. 🦷

18/09/2026

Think warm salt water mouth rinse can fix toothache?

You're not alone. Let's talk. 🦷

This is about that sharp pain in your tooth that sends you straight to mixing warm water and salt, rinsing a few times, hoping it "goes away"

First of all; I understand why this feels like the obvious first step.

But here's what I need every person to know:

We need to have a serious conversation about why this doesn't actually work.

Let's start with the basics.

Warm salt water can soothe irritation on the surface. That's it. It doesn't reach or fix whatever is actually happening inside or underneath your tooth. Toothache isn't one single problem, it's a symptom, and the cause behind it varies from person to person.

⚠️ Here's what most people don't realise, no judgment, just facts and love:

→ It could be a fractured tooth, a crack you can't see, exposing sensitive inner layers every time you bite down

→ It could be tooth decay, where bacteria have already eaten past your enamel and are getting closer to the nerve

→ It could be a gum problem, infection or inflammation around the tooth root that no amount of rinsing will resolve

→ While you're rinsing and hoping, the actual cause underneath is often getting worse, not better

Here's the dental truth every person deserves to hear:

Decay spreads. Cracks deepen. Infections can spread further into the tooth, the gum, and in severe cases, into the jaw. By the time salt water stops "working" and the pain becomes unbearable, you may be looking at a more invasive and expensive treatment than if you'd been seen early.

✅ So what should you actually do?

→ Stop relying on salt water rinses as a long-term fix

→ See a dentist as soon as possible

→ Treat toothache as your body's alarm system, not something to manage indefinitely at home

→ Get the cause identified before it worsens 🦷

Simple. Urgent. Worth acting on.

Let's talk about why timing matters here; because this is more common than most people realise.

Toothache is not something to sit with and hope resolves on its own.

The earlier it's caught, the simpler and cheaper the fix tends to be.

Please don't keep rinsing and waiting.

✅ Your action checklist:

→ Book a dental appointment at the first sign of persistent toothache

→ Don't rely on home remedies to diagnose the cause

→ Watch for pain that worsens or doesn't improve with rinsing

→ Act early, before a simple fix turns into an invasive one

Here's the heart of it all 👇🏾

Salt water can soothe the surface, but it can't tell you what's actually wrong underneath.

The appointment you book today could be the difference between a simple filling and a much bigger procedure later.

You don't need to guess; you just need a proper diagnosis.

One dental visit. One accurate diagnosis. One problem caught early.

That's enough to stop a manageable issue from becoming a painful emergency. 💛

Share this 🔁 and follow me for more dental truths that keep your whole family smiling. 🦷

Ask The Dentist NG

14/10/2026

07/10/2026

28/09/2026

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