Dr. Travis E. Hampton DMD

Dentist

9164 Covington by Pass Road Covington Georgia, 30014 Show map

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About

Dr. Travis Hampton is a Dentist practicing in Covington, Georgia. Dr. Hampton specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and conditions associated with the mouth and overall dental health. Dentists are trained to carry out such treatment as professional cleaning, restorative, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures, and performing examinations, among many others.

Education and Training

Medical College of Georgia

Provider Details

MaleEnglish 33 years of experience

Dr. Travis E. Hampton DMD

Dr. Travis E. Hampton DMD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

I underwent a root canal treatment and it is in pain again. What could be the reason?
Not all root canals successful. If everything goes 100% right during the procedure, roughly 96% will succeed. (Which means 4% will fail). Possible causes for continued pain after a root canal include: a possible extra canal That was missed during the treatment or the treatment not being completed to the end of the tooth, a root fracture, or possibly the pain could be coming from another tooth. READ MORE
How can I reverse yellowing of my teeth?
The best way is through bleaching which can be done at the dental office or over the counter. Bleaching has been proven to be safe and effective over the past 30 years. The bleaching process needs to be touched up every 3 to 6 months. Make sure you are not pregnant and sometimes you have to stick with it for several weeks or even a month or two before you see good results. Teeth can become sensitive but this is usually transit and will get better after the treatment is finished. READ MORE
Is bleeding of gums dangerous for a diabetic patient?
Diabetes and gum disease are definitely related. Diabetes is the third leading factor in getting gum disease. Gum disease is an infection and diabetics do not fight infection as well as a non-diabetic individual. Bleeding is a sign of gum disease. You should go to a dentist for a professional cleaning and it is more important for a diabetic to floss daily than a non-diabetic person. READ MORE
Does switching toothpaste matter?
I use whatever toothpaste I can get for free. As long as the toothpaste has fluoride, I am OK with it. Changing toothpaste is only necessary if the one you are using is causing sensitivity. READ MORE
Can novocaine be used during cleanings?
You can but the dentist will usually charge extra and it is difficult to anesthetize the entire mouth. Dentist generally do not like to do this. Some people have more trouble with this than others. A sedative may be a better solution. I have some patients that I need to prescribe a sedative for their cleanings. They do much better with it. READ MORE
Do fillings need to be replaced?
All dental work has a life expectancy. Your dentist should tell you when your feelings are beginning to leak and need replacing. Most feelings have a long life expectancy but sometimes, particularly in the front, they are replaced more frequently. You have to trust your dentist on this one and that’s why it’s important to go on a regular basis. READ MORE
What is gingivitis and its risk factors?
Gingivitis is swelling and irritation of the gums. It is caused by plaque and tartar that forms around your teeth. If left untreated, the infection in your gums can spread down to the bone that holds your teeth in place and eventually you could begin losing teeth. We call this Periodontitis. The signs of gingivitis would be red, inflamed gums around the teeth with bleeding upon provocation. I.e. flossing or brushing. The best way to prevent gingivitis is by flossing and brushing regularly and going to the dentist to remove tartar that will inevitably form. READ MORE
Is a root canal in pregnancy safe?
There are always risks and possible side effects with any treatment. In general, we do not like to do treatment on a pregnant woman but if it becomes necessary, we like to do it in the second trimester. You must understand that pain from an abscessed tooth causes stress on you and your child. The infection from the tooth can also spread which likewise is dangerous for you and your child. If left untreated, the pain could get severe or the infection could get dangerous. Occasionally, we prescribe antibiotics to try to keep the infection at bay until the baby is born but If you are six months pregnant, you may not be able to hold off another three months. I would recommend the treatment, especially if you are in your second trimester. READ MORE
Is higher or lower pressure better with water flossers?
It is unlikely to damage your gums, but I would leave it where you feel comfortable. I always tell my patients who have a WaterPik to continue to floss. READ MORE
How can flossing help in maintaining the health of teeth and gums?
If all of my patients flossed everyday, I would go broke. I never miss a day of flossing. It is the easiest way to maintain healthy teeth and gums. It is arguably more important than brushing. In general, you want to work the floss past the contact between your teeth and then gently go up and down below the gum line pulling the floss against each tooth. You do not want to floss back-and-forth as this may cut your gums. Getting into a regular habit of flossing will save you a lot of money at your dental office. READ MORE
Can a tooth abscess be seen on an X-ray?
A dental abscess can usually be detected on an X-ray as a dark spot around the root of the tooth in question. You can also typically detect an abscess clinically by tapping on the teeth, the tooth in question will usually elicit a response from the patient. If a tooth is abscessed, the only treatments are extraction or root canal. READ MORE
Can an infected tooth spread the infection to the other teeth as well?
It is possible for a dental infection to spread from one root tip to the next, potentially killing the adjacent tooth. The infection has to be rather large for this to happen and it’s not very common. Just the same, any dental infection should be treated as soon as possible. READ MORE
What does bone loss in the teeth mean?
Generally, when a dentist tells you you have bone loss, he is referring to the bone that holds your teeth in place. We call this periodontitis and the bone loss is irreversible. It is important to stop it before it gets any worse as it could eventually lead to tooth loss. The best way to stop further deterioration would be flossing daily and seeing your dentist on a regular basis. READ MORE
Is chewing gum often bad for your teeth?
Sugar free gum is good for you. Over chewing may cause jaw joint problems, but as far as your teeth, it stimulates saliva and helps clean your teeth after a meal. Keep on chewing. READ MORE
Pain after a filling?
It is common for a tooth to be sensitive to cold for a few weeks after a new filling is done especially if the cavity was deep. This pain will typically improve week by week until gone, meaning this week should be better than last week. If the pain is a throbbing constant pain (not provoked by cold), then you might have a tooth that is dying and you should see your dentist. If the pain is not getting better or it is getting worse, you should see your dentist as well. If each week is better than the last, then let it go and it should go away in time. One other thing, make sure the bite is not high. If the bite feels off, you need to see your dentist as soon as possible as a high bite will lead to tooth ache pain and might even kill the tooth over time. READ MORE
Can a tooth abscess be seen on an X-ray?
Usually abscesses can be seen on an x-ray as a dark halo around the root tip of the tooth in question. Not always though. In the early stages of an abscess, the root tip may seem normal on a radiograph. In the mouth, the dentist will 'tap' on the tooth. If it hurts or feels different than the adjacent tooth, then that is not a good sign. Patient signs of a dying tooth will be a throbbing pain particularly at night or a pain to cold that doesn't go away within a few seconds. READ MORE
Is reflux giving me bad breath?
If you are flossing daily and brushing well, then the cause of any halitosis is probably not bacterial (which is the most offensive). It is possible for breath problems to arise from the back of the throat or even from what we eat, but usually these are not strong odors. A lot of breath problems that are not caused by bacteria are related to dry mouth. If your mouth feels dryer than normal, your breath can stale. I would recommend that you chew sugar free gum more frequently to stimulate saliva. You can also try Listerine strips and drinking more water helps with stale breath. I notice in my practice, a lot of patients think that they have bad breath, but I cannot detect a problem. READ MORE
Food getting stuck behind wisdom teeth
I have no 80 year old patients with wisdom teeth, and it's not because they were 'rushing' to get them out. In other words, probably at some point in your life, you will have problems with them and need to get them out. Food catching around wisdom teeth can lead to cavities or a painful gum infection called pericoronitis. I see it a lot in my practice. The general rule is, if you are over 32 we try to keep them. If you are younger than that - get them out. READ MORE
Biting down on side of cheek when eating
Cheek biting is a pain and a nuisance, but it usually doesn't last. The tongue and cheek are 'mold-able' muscles and usually will mold out of the way of your teeth. You might need to see a dentist to make sure that there is no growth or scar tissue forming. Your teeth can move at anytime but usually will stay in place because of the pressure the cheek and tongue applies to them. I doubt that is it. I have no good answer to solve your problem here except to say that it usually doesn't last forever. Good luck. READ MORE
How to get rid of mouth ulcers
Apthous ulcers are a pain and can really hurt. We are not 100% sure of the cause and therefore treatment is limited. We do know that stress can bring them on (physical or emotional) but as you said, sometimes they seem to come on for no reason. We do know that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (or SLS) can bring them on. SLS is the ingredient in tooth paste that makes it 'suds'. When I have a patient who has this problem frequently, I recommend finding a toothpaste without SLS. (Aquafresh for canker sores is one but can be hard to find). We also have a product called Debacterol in our office. Your dentist may have it. It doesn't treat the problem, but literally burns the sores off. Some patients love it because they are healing after that and some obviously don't. Hopefully, this will not become a regular problem for you. Usually minor apthous ulcers go away in 2 weeks. READ MORE