When You Should See a Dentist

By Anna Bird

If you avoid the dentist out of fear, you're not alone. Many adults and children are frightened to step into a dental office. Some patients, however, have such severe dental fear that they avoid going to the dentist at all costs, including when they have a dental emergency.

Maybe you're tempted to forgo setting a dental appointment to have your dental pain and discomfort treated out of fear of what the dentist will find.

By postponing needed dental treatment, you're not just prolonging your suffering, but you may be putting your oral health at greater risk.

If you experience any of the dental conditions listed below, it is in the best interest of your oral health, and possibly your wellbeing to face your dental fear and get professional dental help:

Knocked-Out Teeth

Whether your tooth fell out due to decay and poor oral hygiene or through an accident where your mouth experienced trauma, it is important to see a dentist ASAP. The tooth can be saved if promptly treaded by a dental or medical professional.

Most dentist have an after-hours phone number to call to get help. If one can't see a dentist, head over to the E.R. of your nearest medical facility.

While baby teeth are replaced with permanent, adult teeth, when an adult tooth is lost, it is lost forever, and it won't be replaced. This is why it's important to save a knocked-out tooth.

Bleeding Gums

When a part of the body bleeds, it's an indication of injury or disease. While bleeding gums are not always an indication of gum disease, it is a good idea to see a dentist to rule it out. Quick, proactive treatment of gum disease will reverse the damage and prevent the disease from worsening into the more serious periodontal disease.

Excessive Bleeding in the Mouth

Unexplained, excessive and uncontrolled bleeding of the mouth is cause for great concern and is classified as a dental emergency. It indicates something is greatly wrong and any time where there is great blood loss, it becomes an instant of life and death and immediate medical treatment is necessary.

Chipped or Cracked Teeth

Maybe you were in an accident and you were fortunate to not lose a tooth. Unfortunately, your tooth got cracked or chipped. No big deal, right?

While a broken or chipped tooth will remain alive and for the most part, intact, it will have a noticeable, unappealing appearance and compromised tooth enamel which will make the tooth weaker and more vulnerable to decay.

Broken or Missing Fillings or Crowns

If you've gotten cavities in the past, chances are you've got them either filled or covered with a crown. The purpose of fillings and crowns are to strengthen and protect decayed teeth.

Neither crowns nor fillings last forever. Eventually they will need to be replaced.

Tooth Abscess

Are you suffering from severe tooth pain? Does the pain impact your eating, drinking and speaking abilities? Severe dental pain makes your life miserable.

The most common cause of severe tooth pain is a tooth abscess, or tooth infection. With a tooth abscess, bacteria enter into the tooth, infecting the center before filtering down to the tooth roots.

A root canal is the most effective treatment of an abscessed tooth.

If an abscessed tooth isn't treated, the tooth can die and the bone tissue of the jaw can become weakened and compromised. If a tooth is beyond saving, the dentist will extract it.

Tooth Aches

Pain and aches from the teeth are not pleasant. Even if the aching isn't severe, it persistently nags you. There are many causes to tooth aches including sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids and overly sweet foods, tooth decay, tooth abscess and Bruxism. Tooth pain and aches can greatly impact your daily life and having your teeth examined by a dental professional can narrow down the cause and provide effective treatment so you can live pain-free.

Besides the possible pain and discomfort from broken or lost fillings or crowns, the exposed holes on the surface of the formerly infected tooth can be an opportunity for germs, bacteria and plaque to form and enter the tooth, infecting it.

While it may be figuratively like pulling teeth to get you into the dental office, there are dental health issues that call for immediate or prompt treatment. By postponing dental treatment, you're prolonging your discomfort and putting your oral health at greater risk.