Seeing your dentist twice a year is the best recommendation to keep your oral health at its best. But, skipping a visit now and then might be unavoidable. You might think religiously brushing your teeth after every meal may be enough.
4 Tell-Tale Signs You Need To See A Dentist
Without a dentist’s care, there are chances that your oral health may degrade. Luckily, your body will let you know if there’s something wrong.
So, if ever you experience one or two of the following signs, you may want to consider going to your dentist ASAP. That way, you can treat, if not prevent, any oral health issues.
- Toothache
Although it may seem minor, a toothache indicates that something might be wrong. This may be the time to visit your dentist. If you’re feeling the following symptoms, then it’s best to visit syracusefamilydentist.com and similar websites to book a dental check-up:
- Toothache combined with an upset stomach
- Headache and toothache with high fever
- Persistent bleeding
- Irregular inflammation around the mouth
- Unrelenting, constant pain
When you visit your dentist, you’ll know what type of tooth pain it is. That’s because your dentist will identify the root issue by checking on the severity, location, and type of pain you’re feeling. Some of which are the following:
- Individual, acute toothache
- Lower teeth and jaw soreness
- Painful, inflamed, and red gums
- Chewing and biting pain
- Hot and cold sensitivity
By knowing the type of pain, your dentist can determine any existing oral health issue. After this, your dentist can provide the proper treatment. While a cold compress numbs the pain, it’s only a temporary home remedy. It also doesn’t cure the root of the pain you might experience.
Sometimes, you may need more serious oral health treatment like tooth extraction or surgery, depending on the cause of the pain. Thus, it’s still best to let a dentist check you.
- Gum Problems
Your gums may also experience some oral health issues. For instance, if you see a bit of blood while you’re brushing your teeth, it may indicate some gum problems such as gingivitis.
At first, your gums are the only ones infected. When left untreated, it can result in periodontitis —a more severe form of gum disease. This means that the infection has gotten into the bone below your gum line.
And worse, you could be at risk of developing diseases like pneumonia, osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes. That’s why it’s recommended to let a dentist help you detect such a gum problem as soon as possible.
Wiggly Teeth: If you’ve noticed that your teeth have moved or loosened, then a gum disease may have attacked the bones holding your teeth in place. A worse effect of this issue is it may change the way your teeth fit when you bite. This may also require teeth straightening treatments.
Sensitive Teeth: This is another sign that gums might be experiencing shrinking. When you have sensitive teeth, cold water and air make your teeth hurt. This is because the dentin—the sensitive part of the tooth—is exposed, and your gums are receding.
Bad Breath: When you have gingivitis, your breath emits a foul smell. This means that more bacteria live and feed on your plaque, thereby releasing toxins that cause bad breath.
Red, Swollen Gums: You’ll quickly know when you see blood whenever you brush your teeth. In addition, your gums may also feel pain and tenderness because of the inflammation along your gum line.
By visiting your dentist when you notice these symptoms, you can prevent further infection. First, your dentist will conduct deep cleaning using special instruments to remove bacteria or tartar under the gum line. Your dentist may also do root planning, depending on your gums’ condition. Here, the gums should reattach to your tooth by smoothing out the rough surfaces of the roots of your teeth.
- Jaw Problems
Jaw pain can also be a sign that your oral health is in danger. It may not seem like the responsibility of your dentist, but they can also cover jaw problems.
Some issues that may cause jaw pain include the spread of abscesses from your teeth to your jaw muscles. The pain from cavities may also extend to your jaw. Even Bruxism or constant teeth grinding strains can make your jaw muscles ache.
You may also have Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD or TMJ). This is linked to stress, arthritis, and teeth clenching. You can experience TMJ for years. It can affect one or both sides of your face. Moreover, TMJ can also make it hard for you to eat.
While you may take painkillers, it’s still better to treat the leading cause of TMJ instead of its symptoms. Thus, if you experience these symptoms, go to your dentist:
- Teeth grinding
- Muscle soreness and spasms
- Pain in the shoulders, face, and neck
- Locking jaws
- Headaches and migraines
- Pop or click when moving the jaw
By knowing the root cause of such a disorder, your dentist can provide you with the best treatment plan. That way, you won’t have to suffer from jaw pain for a long time.
- Sore Tongue Or Lips
You may experience sore tongue or lips once in a while, and that’s okay. What’s not is when the pain doesn’t go away. This is when you need to see your dentist.
If you see lesions, visiting your dentist can help identify if you might have oral cancer. Although this disease is rare, it can be very aggressive. So, it’s best to treat it earlier before it becomes severe.
However, oral lesions don’t solely fall to oral cancer. That’s why seeing your dentist can help ease your worries because they’ll conduct tests to rule out such cancer.
Conclusion
Maintaining good oral health is vital as it can affect your whole body and your daily life. When you experience any of the signs above, it’s best to see your dentist. That way, they can prevent any oral health issues from worsening. As they say, prevention is better than cure.