Dr. Cooke was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey. He graduated from The University of Dayton in Ohio in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. Dr. Cooke graduated from The Ohio State College of Dentistry in 1988. After graduating, Dr. Cooke practiced Dentistry in Ohio, Greensboro North Carolina, and has been in Raleigh since 1993.
Dr. Cooke enjoys attending continuing education classes in all phases of dentistry which enables him to practice current and state of the art dentistry. He has a special interest in emergency and long term dental care of his patients.
Dr. Cooke and his wife Monica have three children, Madeline, Jacob and Samuel. He enjoys tennis, running, cycling and the beaches of North Carolina. He is a member of The American Dental Association, North Carolina Dental Association and The Wake County Dental Society.
The American Association of Endodontics has stated that years ago, root canals were performed with early treatment methods that were painful. Because of this, people still think that root canals hurt.
When a patient gets a dental shot the tooth should not hurt when it is being worked on. About ten years ago the FDA allowed a stronger dental anesthetic to be used and this has allowed dentists to get their patients more numbed up. A technique to numb a tooth called intraosseous anesthesia is becoming more popular. This has allowed dentists to get patients numbed up in less than one minute and the patient gets 100% numb. Because of the anesthetic improvements, patients do not feel anything during the dental procedure when having these techniques applied.
The main reason why a tooth needs a root canal is because the nerve in the tooth has a condition that will not heal. This tooth nerve problem could be causing pain or it could be a dead nerve that is not hurting or infected yet. Dead nerves can still hurt because the tooth has two nerve systems. One nerve system is inside the tooth and this is where the root canal is performed. The other nerve system is on the outside of the tooth and this is where the tooth is attached to the jaw bone. The outside of the tooth nerve system can tell the brain that there is a problem even if the nerve on the inside is dead. A dead nerve on the inside of a tooth can eventually cause pain and swelling. The outside of the tooth nerve system never stops working so we will always feel our teeth even if all of them had root canals.Some signs that a root canal may be needed are as follows. The tooth may be sensitive to hot or cold and the pain lasts longer than a minute. The tooth may be discolored. There may be swelling and drainage occurring out the side of the gum area around the infected tooth.
Over 95% of root canals will be successful according to long term studies by the American Academy of Endodontics. On occasion, a root canal may fail and retreatment may be needed. Root canals have been found to be most successful if the permanent filling is placed on the same day the root canal is finished.
Having a root canal is usually less expensive than having the tooth removed and having a bridge, denture or an implant. Is the tooth functioning in the mouth? This is a very important question to ask. Sometimes a tooth in the mouth may need a root canal, but may not have any purpose in the mouth. An example of this could be a wisdom tooth although some wisdom teeth are functional.
You might encounter having gum boils or gum abscesses when your teeth are unfortunately affected by a deep infection. These unpleasant boils are filled with pus and are very painful when you touch them.
Gum boils can be categorized into two main types: the periodontal abscess and periapical abscess. The main difference is that periodontal abscess forms in the gum tissue while periapical abscess forms within the tooth.
When coming to the dentist for treatment, the goal would be to stop the infection from spreading. If it has already gotten to multiple teeth, a root canal treatment may be necessary to solve your problem.
Many solutions are offered to deal with gum boils and avoid other abscesses from forming. Dentists usually advise antibiotics to control or stop the spread of bacteria and infection. Immediate, simple treatments are also available to ease the pain temporarily.
Prevention is still the best thing to do. There are many home care procedures that you can practice regularly to avoid gum boils. Improve your brushing and flossing if you havent yet. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day will significantly help prevent gum abscesses and minimize plaque buildup. But if you already have gum abscesses, make sure to be very cautious when doing so. Be careful and avoid abscesses to prevent any bleeding.
Looking after your health and what you consume is also an important step. Avoid drinks high in sugar, like sodas and citrus juices. If you can, its best to take processed foods off your food list. Prevent yourself from smoking as this would affect your immune system and reduce the potency of gum treatment medicines for you.
If you use mouthwash, keep in mind that it is not that good to constantly use, even if it helps in bacterial control. Continuous use of mouthwash means your gums will experience dryness, inflammation, and irritation.
What you can do as an alternative is a dental saltwater rinse. If you opt for hydrogen peroxide, be extra careful in mixing it. Hydrogen peroxide can control bacterial growth and minimize pain and gum tenderness if you do it right.
Gum boils can be very frustrating. If you, unfortunately, have it, make sure to take action immediately. These abscesses can lead to permanent teeth damage when left untreated and might result in more severe health complications. Consult with your dentist to save your teeth!