What is a Necessary Dental Concern?

There are many times when we will question whether or not we need to visit the doctor or dentist in between regular appointments. It is often hard to determine when an oral concern warrants a call to the dentist. Perhaps you have a tooth that is suddenly extremely sensitive or your gums have become very tender and may even bleed slightly when your brush your teeth. Your first thought may be to put off bringing these to your dentist’s attention until your next scheduled appointment, but that may be one of your biggest mistakes.
Any dental concern that you have, regardless of how small it may seem, should be brought to your dentist’s attention. Dental emergencies involve severe pain, knocked out teeth, teeth that have been pushed out of position, and often a great deal of blood. They are very easy to identify and require immediate attention to promote the most successful outcomes. However, it is often the questionable concerns that get patients into dental trouble.

Dentists, doctors, and all medical professionals are in agreement that any time a patient has a concern it should be addressed. Whether it is a seemingly small or large dental concern, any issue that is of concern to you is a concern to your dentist. You may feel silly leaving the dentist’s office only to find that your tooth was aggravated by a popcorn kernel stuck in your mouth, but your dentist would much rather remove a small kernel than a tooth. If that popcorn kernel was allowed to remain in the mouth for three months until your next appointment, tooth decay could have set it and rapidly destroyed your tooth. Maybe you want to ignore the tenderness in your gums, but what your dentist wants you to understand is that tender gums are the first sign of gum disease. While this early identification is treatable and reversible, gum disease that progresses without treatment causes irreversible damage that will affect your mouth for life.
At Heritage Dental in Katy, Texas, we want our patients to know that they are not “just another patient” – they are valued members of our practice family. Any time you have a concern regarding the health, comfort, or appearance of your mouth it is a necessary dental concern to us. Please do not put off calling or visiting us simply because it is in between your regular appointments. Call Heritage Dental and have your concerns addressed before they become dire situations.