5 Weighty Reasons to Make an Appointment With a Dentist

Many people tend to skip or postpone dental check-ups especially if they don't experience severe symptoms. But it is impotent to understand that there are a lot of factors that can affect your oral cavity. Additionally, dental issues don't disappear on their own. Without timely and proper treatment, they can progress and lead to severe complications. In this article, we have gathered five weighty reasons to make an appointment with a dentist.

Cavities, also known as tooth decay or caries, are one of the most common health issues that affect people all over the world. They occur when the acids (produced by bacteria) soften and wear out your tooth enamel. In the initial stages, tooth decay usually doesn't cause severe symptoms.

When the cavity reaches the dentin, you can notice a hole in the tooth or experience teeth sensitivity. But when tooth decay affects the pulp (inner layer of the tooth that contains nerve endings and blood vessels), you may experience a severe toothache. If you have noticed a cavity, it is better to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

If you have ever experienced a toothache, then you know how exhausting it can be. Many people tend to use pain medication to cope with the pain. However, there are a lot of factors that can cause toothache. The most common of them include:

• Tooth decay
• Enamel wear
• Tooth fracture
• Gum disease
• Loose dental restorations
• Teeth grinding
• Dental abscess

All the aforementioned issues require proper treatment. That's why it is better to contact your dentist and undergo a thorough examination instead of self-treatment. Otherwise, you can face severe complications. For example, an untreated fractured tooth can become infected.

Many people think that gum bleeding is not a serious symptom. But you should know that gum bleeding is deemed the most common symptom of gum disease. This condition occurs when the bacteria in your oral cavity overgrow and cause gum inflammation. Other risk factors for gum disease include smoking, diabetes, and a family history of gum disease.

The initial stage of gum disease called gingivitis can cause gum redness, bleeding, swelling, tenderness, toothache, receding gums, and bad breath. Without proper treatment, gingivitis can worsen and lead to periodontitis. The most common signs of periodontitis include gum pockets, pus between the teeth, loose teeth, and tooth loss.

A broken tooth is a quite serious issue. Whether you have broken a small piece of the tooth or the whole tooth, you still need to visit a dentist as soon as possible. In the case of a small fracture, the dentist will examine the tooth and raptor its damaged part to prevent infections and tooth decay.

If you have a fracture that reaches the roots of the tooth, your dentist will use pain medication and fill the crack or install a dental crown. If you have broken a significant part of the tooth or a whole tooth, it is possible to reattach it. You need to place the tooth into milk or saliva and bring it to the dental clinic as soon as possible. Otherwise, the dentist will restore the tooth with a dental crown of tooth filling.

If you have noticed that your teeth have become loose or fall off, you need to make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible. There are several factors that can make your teeth loose. The most common of them are advanced gum disease (periodontitis), teeth grinding, tooth injury, and osteoporosis. A dentist can secure your teeth and help treat the underlying condition.

It is important to understand that teeth that have already fallen off should be replaced. Otherwise, the neighboring teeth will move to fill the gap. This can result in aesthetic issues (shifted teeth and facial asymmetry) and problems with eating and speaking. To replace the missing tooth, you can get a dental implant, dental bridge, or partial denture.