Sometimes, when you discover a cavity or sore gums, you are tempted to wait on calling the dentist until the situation gets worse and causes you more problems. You may think it’s good to wait until it starts to hurt before you try to get it fixed. Your Contra Costa dentists recommend to not delay dental care. There are several very good reasons you should not skip routine visits or delay oral care.
Dental Issues Won’t Fix Themselves
There are a few health and medical issues that can heal on their own given enough time. Dental issues are not one of them. Instead, dental problems tend to worsen as more time goes by. Unfortunately, cavities and infections, including gum disease, don’t get better with time; they actually become worse. Avoiding dental care can mean you’ll need more aggressive and invasive treatment. With an infection, dentists can remove bacteria and prescribe medications to help the healing process. Cavities can be filled to stop the damage. Without these interventions, though, they will just continue to get worse and can cause more damage.
Some like to rely on homeopathic and DIY remedies for treating dental problems. The trouble with these is that it often just gives the condition more time to worsen. Our Contra Costa dental office uses preventative and minimally invasive treatment options when possible. We take the route of halting or reversing a condition first before recommending more invasive treatment options if it’s possible. The best option is to see a dentist as soon as you experience even the slightest symptoms. However, symptoms are not always present, so you cannot play your dental care around them. There are times when a problem doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort.
No Pain Doesn’t Mean No Problem!
Pain is what often alerts you to a problem like a cavity, gum disease, or an abscessed tooth. It is unpleasant, and it’s often what motivates a person to seek treatment. But just because there isn’t any pain, it doesn’t mean no problem exists. In some of the most severe cases of tooth decay or a dental abscess, the affected nerve becomes deadened, so there is no pain felt in the area. If you do see a problem like swollen gums or a cavity, don’t wait for the pain to start before seeking dental care. You need a dental professional to intervene right away. The trouble is that there are often no symptoms at all. This is why regular checkups with your Contra Costa dentist and dental care team are important. A dentist can often discover a problem in an exam before you even have any symptoms. This allows for swift and effective treatment and reduces the chances you will have to undergo more invasive treatment later. This is a great reason for you to not delay dental care.
Delaying Dental Treatment Can Cost You More
Because dental problems progress as time passes, treatment options change accordingly. For example, when a small cavity is discovered during a routine checkup, it can be filled to prevent it from spreading. If you notice it, but don’t have any symptoms, it may be tempting to wait to get it seen about. But delaying treatment may mean it spreads and causes further damages. By the time you notice symptoms and go to the dentist again, decay may have spread to nearby teeth. It might have already affected the nerve and created an abscess. Now, instead of just a filling, you may need a root canal, a crown, and other fillings in teeth that were cavity-free at your last exam. Instead of paying for a filling, you may be paying more than double out of pocket for more intensive treatments. Even if you have dental insurance, your fees may be much more than originally expected.
Contact San Pablo Dental Care
Is it time for a routine exam? Contact our dental office to schedule your dental exam and dental cleaning today. Let Dr. Edwin Kim and Dr. Jacqueline Lee protect your oral health.
