Dentists recommend scheduling dental appointments at least twice a year but most people do not observe that. Others do not realize that they need dental check-ups until it is too late. However, taking long with teeth issues can be costly and time-consuming to fix as well as open up more serious problems. Therefore, you should pay attention to the signals given by your dentist that tell you it’s time for an appointment. The following are some indicators of when you should make an appointment with your dentist.
Bleeding Gums
Besides gum disease, bleeding gums might also suggest other health issues. There could be times when aggressive brushing or flossing causes gums to bleed, or ill-fitting dentures, but if this happens frequently then there could be a more serious problem. If you notice blood on your gums go see a dentist.
- Gum disease: A possible outcome of several oral conditions like periodontitis.
- Vitamin deficiency.
- Leukemia.
Aching Gums
If your gums hurt then probably something bad is happening inside your mouth. In case it happens, therefore, you should book an appointment so that the pain does not continue getting worse as time goes on. There are many possibilities for this type of pain and only someone who has skills in the field will tell what exactly it is.
To hold our teeth up and keep our mouths in good shape we require healthy gums. Gum discomfort could occur during meals even while drinking water or even just cleaning them.
Sometimes this ache comes with biting down pressure and could mean that there’s something else wrong below the surface level that needs attention too such as hormonal changes and chemotherapy as poor brushing/flossing techniques aside from tobacco use together with gum diseases; don’t wait until things get worse before seeking help.
These are some of the reasons why your gums hurt, often necessitating immediate dental checkups:
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Abrasions and Cuts
Your gum pain might come as a result of a cut or an abrasion. Braces, retainers, dentures, and other dental appliances could irritate your gums’ tissue. You should consult with your dentist to identify ways to relieve the discomfort in them.
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Canker Sores
These ulcers can be found all around the mouth and can make your gums very uncomfortable. They are developed from intense pressure on or damage to oral tissues. Additionally, they could be linked to immune system problems, gastrointestinal conditions, or dietary inadequacies.
Gum Infections/Diseases
If you also have sensitivity and bleeding along with gum pain, you could have gingivitis. This condition can only be treated by getting rid of the plaque that has formed on teeth and gum lines. If left untreated this mild form of gum disease will progress into something worse.
Contact your dentist if you have the following symptoms accompanied by gum pain; these will require a diagnosis and treatment plan for resolution while keeping them in good health:
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Chronic Bad Breath
Poor oral hygiene practices lead to bad breath as well as some serious medical conditions. Some foods make it worse like onions and garlic too; although using mouthwash is better than nothing at all plus brushing teeth does not eliminate all bacteria that cause a bad smell permanently but just controls it temporarily when flossing is done shortly after doing so.
Smoothing away food particles after meals could remove the smell before it even starts. If you neglect brushing regularly, bacteria proliferate in your gums, tongue, and teeth. This growth could cause bad breath that doesn’t disappear easily.
Nevertheless, persistent bad breath is more than just debris hanging out inside your mouth. It could be due to gum disease caused by plaque buildup on your teeth. These toxins can destroy the gums if not remedied early enough.
One of the first things that a dentist will do when you visit with this problem is professionally clean your teeth to see if that helps with the odor at all. They will then conduct several tests to know what’s causing halitosis to develop a proper course of treatment in case cleaning does nothing about it.
Toothache
Sore teeth are not normal and should never be ignored hoping they will go away soon. Toothaches have various causes:
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Cavities
Cavities start from erosion through the outer shell of the tooth into its inner level too. These small holes are usually asymptomatic initially but could enlarge over time if left untreated. In case there are no other warning signs besides pain while biting down or eating cold foods, consult a professional for examination.
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Fractured Teeth
A fractured tooth means that there is something wrong with it; therefore, it hurts very much.
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Abscesses
An abscess occurs when an infected tooth forms a pus pocket around its root area. If neglected, this can lead to loss of teeth. Without appropriate care at the right time, it can result in sepsis across body structures affecting the head and neck.
Teeth Clenching or Grinding
Some people don’t even notice when they’re clenching their teeth at all times. However, occasionally, someone biting too hard is harmless. Despite this fact, chronically doing so might have dire consequences on your oral health over time.
Broken fillings require repair by dentists, who help prevent them from falling apart. Another application is in dental caries. Nonetheless, no dental filling can last forever. Bruxism and using an inappropriate toothbrush can change one or more of them, leading to damage that causes pain as well. You could not like the discomfort, but sometimes your repaired filling just has to be fixed.
Again, only a dentist knows what might be the problem when your mouth hurts. You will also need a dentist’s assistance in preventing the recurrence of this trouble later on.
Several signs indicate you have toothache:
- A few people can have sharp, steady, or pulsating pain in the teeth. For others, this happens only when they press on the hurting teeth.
- Swelling around the teeth.
- Fever and headache.
- Pus that has a bad taste coming out of the affected tooth.
Receding or Shrinking Gums
Receding gums occur as gum tissue withdraws from a tooth exposing more of the root or tooth. This is called receding gums. When your gums shrink, there are pockets and spaces between your gum line and teeth which increase room for bacterial growth and buildup. Early treatment is important because receding gums have the potential for severe damage to underlying bone and tissue structures; eventually leading to the loss of teeth.
Gum recession is a common oral problem that often goes unnoticed because its progression is slow. You could first feel uncomfortable and even see that your teeth look longer than usual. Also, you might notice a groove at the gum line.
Thus if ignored, these symptoms might worsen. Therefore, it’s important to contact your dentist immediately whenever you think you’re having recessed gums. By starting treatment early, further injury can be prevented while addressing the issue promptly before it becomes worse.
Causes of gum recession are quite many including periodontal disease where bacteria destroy supporting tissues around your teeth leading to bone loss as well. Sometimes things could be genetic, such that some individuals could get this condition easier than others through family lines. However, at other times, vigorous brushing using the wrong technique could also cause gum recession. Sometimes, too much force will make them start pulling back if brushed poorly.
In some cases, deep cleaning specialists would be required over the affected area just like means of treating minor recessions while in other circumstances dentists can advise doing surgical procedures, especially for those who end up with bone loss as well as deep pockets. When faced with such a situation, the healing time for gum surgery becomes too long and you might find yourself spending more than what had been anticipated.
Mouth Ulcers
Mouth sores can affect anyone at any time, they are very common. These ulcers can be found on the soft tissues in your mouth like cheeks, lips, tongue, gum, roof of the mouth, or even beneath it. It is possible for these sores also to form on the esophagus; which is a tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach.
One type of sore in the mouth which is generally less serious includes canker sores. They could take up to two weeks before going away completely and begin as something that causes a lot of pain. However, if they are more painful or last longer than this period then they could be signs of something worse.
When severe oral sores appear, then oral cancer or viral infections such as herpes simplex could be indicated hence once you start noticing any matter regarding them then go visit your dentist immediately. Mouth sores have several causes including some:
- Gingivostomatitis.
- Cold sores.
- Oral thrush.
- Anemia.
Cracked Teeth
In this way, enamel is our body’s hardest and thickest tissue. This is why we can bite hard things without breaking or damaging our teeth much. Nevertheless, there is a limit to how strong the enamel can be. If too much force is directed towards the tooth, it could crack or break as a result of such causes as decay beneath.
Such pressure that could make your teeth become affected include a heavy fall, a slap on the face, and biting some hard substance. In such cases, one should contact professional emergency dental care services to save damaged teeth.
A split tooth, when exposed, becomes highly susceptible to other infections, like cracked and chipped ones. If left untreated, the infection can lead to dangerous situations, including the loss of the entire tooth. Therefore, it is recommended by dentists that you get your natural tooth saved early enough. Thus, if you chip or crack your tooth you must quickly schedule an appointment at your dentist’s office for help.
Depending on the extent of damage that has been caused, treatment for a fractured/chipped tooth will vary. Some examples include the following:
Dental Fillings (Bonding)
This kind of repair could occur mostly on the front side of the mouth, which is visible whenever you smile with one missing small piece of enamel. Therefore, it would be bonded by your dentist while he or she mends it. The bond makes use of resin filling that matches with the color of your teeth.
Dental Cap/Crown
Conversely, if more parts are broken and damaged parts remain, then a crown becomes necessary in these instances. The latter procedure requires some additional steps since that unhealthy portion normally requires preparation before everything else happens.
It might sometimes necessitate removing more infected parts as well as creating enough space for installation. For permanent versus temporary crowns based on preference and level of actual ruin inflicted, you can select from them accordingly.
How a Dentist Can Improve Your Health
Your dental health can either positively or negatively affect your overall health. Therefore, dentists are doctors for the whole body. How your dentist improves your health is given below.
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Your Dentist Can Recommend Healthy Foods to Take
Toothaches, food sensitivities, ill-fitting dentures, and missing teeth make it hard to eat regular meals. This might result in you being restricted to soft foods that are easy to chew, omitting very many healthy ones.
When you need quality dental restorations from a dentist’s office, your dentist will assess what is going on with your mouth after examining your teeth and, in general, your oral health. The effectiveness of these teeth is restored, and as such, one gets to enjoy any type of meal, including the crispy apples and the chewy steaks, without worrying anymore.
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Early Detection of Oral Cancer
Thus, preventive cleaning should be done at least once every six months to identify conditions like cavities or periodontitis for treatment. Besides that, early diagnosis of oral cancer is important too. When visiting for tooth cleaning and cavity check the dentist also conducts an oral cancer examination.
During the screening process make sure you watch out for symptoms of possible diseases. This way, even before they manifest themselves fully, the doctor will have already noticed them. Attending regular visits could save a person’s life because early identification has been found to play a major role in combating oral cancer disease.
Find an Encino Dentist Near Me
Your oral health significantly affects many different aspects related to your overall health. Dental issues can influence how well you are overall. Therefore, if you are unable to visit your dentist regularly, it might be helpful to know when arranging with your dentist is necessary. Even minor tooth problems should be treated as emergencies because they can develop into more serious and costly dental and health issues.
We are an entire cosmetic and general prosthodontic dentistry office committed to providing cost-effective yet quality oral care at Lasting Impressions Dental Spa. Call us today at 818-751-5100 to book an appointment with one of our experienced Encino dentists.
