5 Signs You Need to See a Dentist Soon
We know, we know - you're busy. You work, you go to school, you have kids, you have obligations. And we know - sometimes it is hard to take time for yourself. But if you run yourself into the ground, that doesn't help anyone - especially all the people who are depending on you.
So, here are the top 5 reasons you should be seeing the dentist soon.
1) Toothache
This is a no-brainer! And the reason why people will hold off no longer! This does, however, depend on intensity levels. If you've been experiencing a dull ache, it's totally different than if you're experiencing sensitivity and that's totally different than when you're experiencing pain, swelling and heat.
Call our office and speak to our front office team to see when we can fit you in.
2) Injury to a Tooth
Uh. Oh. Playing sports and got hit in the face? Took a nose-dive on a bike? Tripped on the stairs? If you incurred damage to your front teeth, it's a good idea to book yourself in ASAP to see how deep the injury is and what options you have. If the entire tooth came out, pick it up by the crown, rinse off any debris with milk or clean water, then see if you can place it back into the gums where it came out. If it cannot go back in, store it in a small container of milk. Either way, book yourself in to see the dentist ASAP.
3) Tooth looks 'longer' than usual and it looks like the gum is disappearing
Chances are, this is a problem that has been developing over a longer period of time. We not only strive towards taking care of teeth, but also the entire mouth. And gums are a super important part of that - because it is the foundation on which your teeth sit. If your gums recede, and they keep progressing, a tooth becomes more visible and you will see more and more of the root. If enough of the root is exposed, you can lose the tooth (or teeth).
So, nip it in the bud at its earliest stages. Gingivitis is when the gums are inflamed - and this can look redder than usual. Make sure to brush the gums so they toughen up and turn back into a healthy pink. If no action is taken to improve oral hygiene, it will look as if the gums were pulling back away from the teeth. The gum will constantly be irritated and will start to recede. Fair warning, this is actually fairly painless - but once it's gone, it is gone and won't grow back. If you start noticing your gums receding, get some professional help from your dental team.
4) Any restorations have chipped, broken, or come off
If it's a small chip or break and you choose to do nothing to repair it, there is always going to be a chance that you bite onto something and damage the tooth further. Sometimes, a crack can go all the way down a root and at this point, the tooth cannot be saved.
Another scenario is that if something chips, then the jagged edge becomes a great place for food particles and bacteria to collect. If it's difficult to reach and clean with a toothbrush or some floss, then the things that sit on the tooth surface can bore a hole into your tooth - also known as a cavity.
5) It's been over 6 months
Seriously, don't wait until you have a problem - if you stay regular with your routine cleaning and check-up appointments, we can help you detect potential issues or problems when they're small and relatively easy to take care of. You can have them repaired before it escalates to something like pain, or infection.
If it's not a problem big enough to need restoration yet, we can also teach you some techniques to help prevent the issue from getting bigger. And a lot of the time, if you're diligent with focusing more time on these problem areas, they don't even evolve to something bigger (which means you're avoiding the filling/crown/etc)!
"There's nothing wrong with my teeth," you say. That's great that you neither see nor feel anything wrong! As dental professionals (with high tech tools!), we are proactive in our oral care and will warn you if something is starting to go amiss. Again, you want to avoid dental emergencies and you want to avoid waiting until the problem is so big (because treatment will be more intensive and will take a bigger toll on your pocket book).
