Don’t Put Off Minor Dental Problems
Especially at this time of the year, it can be tempting to leave minor damage until later.
We hope that you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to the new year. We also hope that you avoided any issues with your teeth! It is likely though, that at least a few patients of ours here at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice will have suffered from a minor issue that they will probably be thinking about leaving until the new year.
Anyone who has suffered from a painful or broken tooth, will almost certainly be on the phone to our Burton practice almost instantly, seeking out an emergency appointment. However, those who have had just a small part of a tooth break away, or even a filling come loose or fall out, may well put it off until things get back into full swing in a few weeks time.
Treat it now
To leave a minor problem is a mistake, and potentially a painful one. Even a small piece of tooth that breaks away can expose the porous dentin layer of the tooth. Unprotected by healthy enamel, this soon becomes exposed to acids and bacteria that start to cause the tooth to decay. The longer that you leave this, the greater the problem will likely become.
Seeing us as soon as possible means that we should be able to retain more of the natural tooth, and, if we treat it before any significant decay has set in, we may even be able to restore it using a simple method, such as the use of dental bonding or a minor filling.
Loose or missing fillings
If a filling has fallen out, or even become loose, it will no longer protect the rest of the natural tooth from decay. Even tiny gaps between the natural tooth and a loose filling allow the bacteria to enter and problems to start. This could prove to be painful if you leave it for too long and you may even end up with a severe toothache from a root canal infection.
A blow to the teeth
Whether from a fall, a flying toy or an accidental child’s elbow; if you have received a significant blow to the teeth over the Christmas period, we recommend that you have this checked out. It is quite possible that no long term damage has been done, but any cracks or fractures of the tooth mean that treatment will be needed. Especially if your front teeth have suffered a blow, you really don’t want to risk losing them because you delayed having treatment.
The reality is that once the process of decay starts, it will not stop. The longer you put off receiving treatment, the more damage will be caused to the rest of your natural tooth. The treatment that you receive here at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice in Burton Upon Trent, will prevent this from happening, and, depending on the situation, may also strengthen the tooth to minimise the risk of further damage later on.
So if you have a ‘small’ dental issue that hasn’t been treated, whether this happened at Christmas or any other time of the year, why not make an early new year’s resolution and call us on 01283 845345 to arrange to have it checked, and treated, where necessary. You could be preventing a more significant problem down the track! Our team will be pleased to get you booked in for an appointment.