Early Intervention For Better Dental Health

Early Intervention For Better Dental Health

Why ignoring potential dental problems is never a good idea.

Especially if you are nervous about seeing a dentist, it can be tempting to ignore relatively minor discomfort or suspicions that all may not be well with your teeth. A small piece chipped from a tooth may be ignored and slightly sore gums may not be high on your list of concerns.

Whilst these, and other relatively ‘minor’ problems can easily be ignored without too much suffering, they are also signs that much worse could be to come if you do not have them checked. Even a toothache which is a well known and understood sign that you may have tooth decay, can sometimes be ignored in the hope that it will go away.

Seeking professional advice

At the Elmfield House Dental Practice, we recommend that any of our Teddington patients who have even minor symptoms have them checked as soon as possible.There are very few, if any, dental problems that will simply resolve themselves. Even if your discomfort is manageable now, this is unlikely to last and will only get worse. Similarly, what may start off as a small chip from a tooth is likely to weaken the tooth and lead to further breakages that require more extensive treatment than if you had it treated in its early stages.

Treatments

Specific treatments will vary from case to case, but the following are a few of the possible treatments for common ‘minor’ dental issues.

Chipped tooth – If deemed to be cosmetic damage only, a composite may be used to restore the appearance of the tooth. Where the structure of the tooth has been compromised though, a filling or crown may be used to provide the extra strength required.

Toothache – If, following an examination, it is found that you have tooth decay, a filling is the most likely outcome. Where the damage is significant, a dental crown may be used instead to restore the tooth. We may also x ray the tooth to determine if there are any root canal or other issues that need treatment.

Sore gums

Sore or inflamed gums could be caused by a number of issues, but a likely cause is gum disease. This is usually relatively straightforward to reverse in its early stages, often using a non invasive scale and polish procedure. If you ignore the problem and periodontitis takes hold, this may lead to the need for a more invasive ‘deep clean’ or root planing as it is known. This cleans the roots of the tooth and often the surrounding bone too. However, even this procedure may not save your tooth if the damage is too severe.

So, the message from our Teddington dentists is to take action as soon as you suspect a problem, however minor it may seem to you. Getting treatment quickly will almost certainly mean less extensive treatment than if you delay having it checked. It may even save you from tooth loss.

For advice on any problem, or to make an appointment at the Elmfield House Dental Practice, please call us on 020 8614 1995.