Visiting the Dentist Now Can Prevent Future Oral Pain

You can prevent cavities and gum disease from forming by visiting the dentist regularly.  Preventative care is also extremely important for your long term health and that of your family.  By having dental examinations and teeth cleanings twice a year, you can reduce your risk for common oral health problems. These visits are typically less than an hour, making it easier than ever to stay in good health.

Cavities can form when bacteria enters the mouth and is left on teeth and gums.  Bacteria will thrive in warm environments and will multiply and spread, reaching in between teeth and into your gums.  When it settles onto a tooth, it will start to create an acid that will then attack the tooth and breakdown the enamel, which will lead to an infection.  If caught early, a normal cavity can be fixed by simply removing the infected or decayed area of the tooth and using a filling to restore it. Many people won’t even notice a cavity at this level. However, it is easy to catch a cavity early when you visit the dentist every six months.

Those who don’t visit the dentist are at a greater risk for the bacteria and infection to spread.  When it spreads into the dental pulp (soft center of the tooth) it can cause the roots that run through the tooth to also become infected.  This can be painful and require a root canal to treat the area, which is done in our dental office. We will remove the dental pulp and roots prior to cleaning the area and filling it.  A dental crown is typically placed over the tooth for additional protection.

Those who don’t visit the dentist at the first sign of a severe toothache may miss the stage where a typical root canal is possible.  A dental abscess can form when a tooth infection is left untreated and spreads into the floor of the mouth, jawbone, and neck.  This will cause excruciating pain, make a face and neck swell, and can even interfere with breathing.  In order to treat a dental abscess a dentist has to drain the infected puss from the area, remove the infection, clean it and restore the area where the infection was present.  If it has spread too far then an oral surgeon will need to help remove the abscess. This is a painful and difficult situation for anyone to have to endure and is completely avoidable.

Regular preventative dental care can stop cavities from forming and treat them immediately if they develop.  This stops the infection from spreading before it can lead to oral pain.  A small cavity may cause discomfort but is not particularly painful however, a major tooth infection and a dental abscess is.  The same holds true for gum disease.  If it is caught early enough it can be treated by simply cleaning on and under the gum line.  Afterwards, the gums will go back to normal.  However, if gum disease is left untreated it can create pockets and gaps in the gum line which can also become infected and much more extensive measures will be needed to correct it.

Don’t risk the health of you and your family.  Schedule an appointment for a dental exam and teeth cleaning today.

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