Why You Shouldn't Delay Dental Treatment
When it comes to treating dental damage, time is of the essence. What may start as a minor dental issue can lead to major damage if left untreated. Restorative dentistry treatments can repair minor to severe damage while improving your dental appearance. To discuss which treatments are right for you, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Jackson dentist Danny O'Keefe. In the meantime, read here to find out why you shouldn't delay dental treatment.
Reasons Not to Delay Dental Treatment
Delaying dental treatment can allow minor dental problems to become severe. What may start as a small chip can lead to decay, which in turn, can lead to tooth loss. Avoiding dental treatment can have detrimental consequences to oral health. Some reasons you should not delay dental treatment include:
- Tooth decay: Delaying treatment of tooth decay can result in severe dental damage such as large dental cavities, black teeth, and broken teeth.
- Root canal infections: Root canal infections may also occur as a result of postponing dental treatment. Root canal infections are painful infections of the tooth's inner pulp and nerve tissue, often resulting from untreated tooth decay. If root canal infections are not treated, they can lead to the formation of painful abscesses or tooth loss.
- Formation of abscesses: Abscesses are pus-filled pockets that can form if root canal infections are left untreated. As root canal infections spread, abscesses may develop around the tooth roots or spread through the gums. This can make eating painful and can lead to tooth loss.
- Advanced gum disease: Gum disease is a common dental problem that many patients ignore. Bleeding while brushing or flossing is a sign of gum disease and should be treated immediately because minor gum disease can quickly become severe. Severe gum disease may result in tooth decay as well as tooth loss.
- Chronic bad breath: Delaying dental treatment can also result in chronic bad breath, which is often a sign of oral health issues.
- Tooth loss: Tooth loss can occur if the signs of dental damage are ignored and dental treatment is delayed.
The Benefits of Immediately Seeking Dental Treatment
If you suffer from oral health issues, seeking treatment as early as possible is vital to preventing further damage. Seeing your dentist every six months for a regular check-up and cleaning can help catch dental damage early. Treating dental damage at the earliest signs has many benefits, including:
- Prevents further dental damage
- Helps protect the teeth from requiring extraction or being lost to decay
- Helps keep oral health at its best
- Early detection of dental problems helps keep dental costs down by preventing the need for expensive dental treatments
Schedule a Consultation
Dr. O'Keefe offers many treatments to treat dental damage and restore the appearance of your smile. Don't put off treatment any longer. Protect your oral health and restore your smile. To find out which treatments are right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. O'Keefe.