What are the Signs that you need to see your Dentist or Dental Hygienist
The Canadian Dental Association recommends visiting your Dentist and Dental Hygienist every 6 months. However, there may be certain situations where it might be of utmost importance to make a visit to your Dentist or Dental hygienist. Let’s go through the signs which you should look for and immediately see your Dentist.
Pain
Pain is the most common cause that compels one to visit a Dentist immediately. The excruciating pain is often due to underlying cavities, any kind of abscess, or due to periodontal diseases pertaining to the mouth. The wisdom tooth can also be another cause of pain and discomfort.
Sensitivity
People often experience increased sensitivity to hot, cold, or pressure while eating or drinking hot or cold beverages and food and neglect it for a long period of time since it is usually transient. This is an indication of underlying tooth decay or gum disease. If this is not taken care of instantly, extensive dental procedures like crowns, root canal treatments, or even in some cases, the tooth cannot be saved.
Bleeding while Brushing
Bleeding gums is a sign of periodontal disease. Healthy gums do not bleed upon brushing or flossing. Hence, a visit should be made to your Dental hygienist at the earliest to prevent furthering the diseases since bleeding gums are treatable if taken care of in the early stage.
Ulcers
Ulcers can occur due to various reasons ranging from infections which could be bacterial, fungal, or viral to irritation from any sort of dental appliances. If you notice an ulcer that is persistent for more than a week and keeps recurring, it should be bought to your Dentist’s notice at once since it could be an early sign of some underlying malignancy.
Abscess
An abscess is a pus-filled space that appears as a swelling that could appear on your gums or is visible in the area around your mouth. These abscesses are painful and cause a lot of discomfort. They could be originating due to certain oral or dental infections. An urgent visit should be scheduled with your dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Bad Breath
Bad breath could make you and people around you uncomfortable, it could range from mild to disturbing. It could make one lose self-confidence. Bad breath results due to underlying gum disease and also due to improper oral hygiene but that bad breath is transient and can go away after brushing and flossing. Bad breath that persists even after brushing needs immediate attention from your Dental Hygienist.
Difficulty in Chewing, Speaking, and/or Swallowing
Facing problems and pain while chewing, speaking, or swallowing needs to be taken seriously since it could indicate an issue underlying the bone. The Temporomandibular joint could have been misaligned which cause the discomfort. It could lead to teeth grinding and restriction of jaw movement. Hence it should be brought to your dentist’s attention and treated duly.
Tartar
If you are someone prone to tartar development, it would be a good practice to visit your hygienist regularly since a prolonged accumulation of tartar might lead to periodontal diseases and may require extensive procedures.’
Apart from these crucial signs, there are a few other reasons that might wind you up to your Dentist and it is important that you visit.
Problem with your previous dental procedures
If you have had an earlier dental procedure like tooth filling, a crown, or a bridge that might have been dislodged, you need to make an appointment and get it corrected. It is of utmost importance that you get it done since the longer you wait you might end up having an infection due to exposed tooth-root area.
Teeth Stains
Any kind of staining to your teeth might make you feel uncomfortable aesthetically and may impact your self-esteem. Your hygienist can help you with fixing those stains to provide you with a bright white smile.
Apart from the signs covered in this article, anything related to your oral cavity that doesn’t feel right or comfortable should be duly taken to your dentist. Neglecting issues with your healthy oral environment might get you into invasive procedures and nobody wants that, isn’t it?
It is advised by Canadian Dental Association, to brush twice daily and visit your dentist twice a year. Although, you may want to visit as many times as is required in order for you to have great oral health.
I am a Dental Professional, Acquainted Content writer and creator, Imparting valuable dental knowledge through trickycare.com and working towards making a difference. Any information provided on the Trickycare platform is for general information only and does not constitute professional advice.
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