Sometimes, things that could mean serious trouble for your oral health don’t seem that serious at first. Other times, it’s obvious how serious something is, but you may underestimate the importance of addressing it as soon as possible. The truth is that any change you notice to your healthy, natural tooth structure could indicate something that you should be concerned about. Because of this, ignoring it could lead to much more serious tooth problems and the need for more extensive restorative treatment in the future.
1. A toothache that keeps coming back
A temporary pain in your tooth isn’t always something that indicates a long-term problem. For example, if you bite down on a crunchy piece of food wrong, you might agitate your tooth or the tissues around it without actually causing them any harm. However, when you have a chronic toothache that doesn’t go away, or keeps coming back if it subsides for a while, then it’s likely a problem that you should seek attention for immediately. A toothache can indicate a variety of tooth concerns, including unseen damage to its structure, particularly weak tooth enamel, the development of a cavity, and more.
2. The feeling that your teeth are worn-down
Though you may not always realize it, your bite feels a certain when you smile, speak, and bite and chew your food. You do all of these things naturally and often enough that you may not give much thought into all of the different parts of your oral health that go into it, until something no longer feels the same. For example, you might not realize right away if your teeth are starting to become worn-down, but the more it occurs, the more likely you feel the change when your upper and lower teeth meet each other. This could indicate a variety of concerns, one of the more common of which includes chronic teeth-grinding (or bruxism) that could lead to extensive tooth damage if not addressed promptly.
3. The loss of one or more natural teeth
Losing a tooth causes more reactions in your oral tissues and structures that you can see or notice right away. One of the most significant of these reactions involves your jawbone resorbing its structure in the area where you’ve lost the tooth root. This empty space will become a liability as the lack of stimulation in it will cause your jawbone to lose mass and density over time. The only effective way to address this is to fill the space with a biocompatible dental implant post, which replaces the lost tooth root and offers lifelike support for your custom-made replacement crown.
Learn more about restoring your healthy smile
Concerns such as discomfort, damage, or loss of your natural tooth structure should always be taken seriously and addressed as soon as possible. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us by calling Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park and all surrounding communities.
