That tooth that's been giving you a "zing" lately has finally started to hurt consistently. You deal with it by using ibuprofen, but even that is starting to lose its effect. However, you're so busy that it's hard to make time to see your dentist.
Fighting the Excuses
We understand that life gets busy, and going to the dentist takes time out of your hectic schedule; however, it may mean the difference between avoiding a painful dental emergency and enduring one. Here are some common reasons why patients wait to get dental care, and why you shouldn't.
"I'll Just Wait for the Weekend": The Myth of the 'Inconvenient' Toothache
Your workweeks are busy, and a toothache is inconvenient. But will you feel that way when it starts to keep you up at night and prevent you from your normal daily activities? Probably not.
When a toothache becomes persistent, your tooth is likely infected. Now the damage is done, and we'll need root canal treatment to eliminate your pain and the infection, and so we can prevent tooth loss.
It Stopped Hurting, So It’s Probably Fine
Don't be fooled by a tooth that stops hurting! That "zing" in your tooth that we mentioned earlier may come and go for a while before it becomes more persistent and problematic. However, if you're proactive about treating it at the first sign, you may be able to avoid more complex procedures like root canal treatment.
If you have discomfort that goes away, that is actually the best time to seek treatment from your dentist, which can help you avoid extra time in the dental chair for more complicated procedures, further discomfort, and extra expenses.
Dental Anxiety
If it's fear of the dentist or anxiety that's keeping you away, we have good news for you! At Emery Village Dental, we offer two levels of sedation to help ease your anxiety during dental appointments so you can comfortably receive your dental care: Nitrous oxide and IV sedation.
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, can help "take the edge off" when you're in the dental chair. It's easy to administer through an inhalation mask, works quickly to alleviate anxiety and stress, and leaves your system quickly after removing the mask. Nitrous oxide doesn't leave you with lingering side effects, and it's safe for adults to drive home after treatment with laughing gas.
The Cost of Delay: Why Waiting Actually Breaks the Budget
Remember that "zing" we talked about earlier? Did you know that being proactive about visiting your dentist when you feel that can save you time and money?
Here's how it works: When you feel the "zing," it's indicating decay in your tooth. When you're proactive about treating decay, we can usually address it with a simple, non-invasive dental filling. If that decay progresses deeper into your tooth, it eventually reaches the pulp and nerve, causing an infection. When that happens, you'll experience a constant and severe toothache. The kind that keeps you up at night, and now you'll need a root canal to treat it.
Even worse, if you continue to delay treatment for an infected tooth, the infection will spread. It can damage neighbouring teeth and even spread to more critical areas of your body, like your brain. An infected tooth will not resolve on its own without treatment. Instead, it will eventually become unsalvageable and will need to be removed. When that happens, you'll need to discuss options for tooth replacement with your North York dentist to avoid bone deterioration, tooth movement, and bite misalignment.
So now you can understand why being protective and proactive about your oral health is so important.
Contact Your Trusted Emergency Dentist in North York
Now that you understand how important it is to listen to what your teeth are trying to tell you, please don't wait to contact your dentist if you feel pain or even slight discomfort in a tooth. It indicates a problem that we can sort out for you.
Call us at (437) 900-8266 if you or a loved one has a dental emergency. At Emery Village Dental, we offer convenient morning, evening, and Saturday appointments to accommodate emergency dental patients. We also offer phone instructions for reaching our on-call emergency dentist after our normal business hours. We look forward to helping you find relief!
