While it is recommended that you visit your dentist at least once a year to ensure that your teeth remain clean and healthy, there are many problems that can occur between these checkups. Whenever you come in for a routine checkup, professionals do more than clean plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums. They also check for any potential problems such as cavities, infection, gum disease, and even cancer. That said, a clean bill of health in January can become a serious problem just months later.
Knowing what to look for when concerned about your teeth can save you a lot of frustration. Too many people fail to consider the many things they subject their teeth to on a daily basis such as sweet beverages, acidic foods, and more. If you notice a problem and fail to get treatment immediately, you may end up with a far more serious problem and a painful treatment plan.
Pain
This is often the most important sign of an issue in your mouth. Your teeth and gums should never hurt and a sudden sharp pain or aching can indicate something is not right. For example, a steady aching in one or more teeth can indicate a cavity that has exposed the sensitive inner tissue of your teeth. A strong ache in one tooth or the area around your tooth may be a sign of a more serious infection. The moment you feel pain in your teeth, the time has come for you to visit a Garden City dental centre.
Swelling
Gums become irritated when they come in contact with bacteria between the teeth and below the gum line. Your teeth actually have another millimetre or two of space below the gum line where bacteria love to gather and grow. When you smile at yourself in the mirror, healthy gums will appear pink and rest flush against your teeth. However, irritated gums might appear bright red and swollen. Look for puffiness where they meet your teeth and any signs of a receding gum line. Both of these indicate a more serious problem such as gingivitis or periodontal disease and early treatment is the key to saving yourself from worse problems.
Yellow Teeth
It is a common misconception that your teeth are naturally white. On the contrary, your teeth naturally have a yellow appearance to them and it is not a sign of unhealthy teeth for your smile not to be perfectly white. However, staining and deep yellow are problems and these can occur due to a number of triggers. For example, yellowing can happen when you drink excessive amounts of coffee, soda, or tea and it can also happen if you frequently smoke. Fortunately, whitening procedures take only an hour on average and can whiten your teeth by as many as eight shades.
Cracks or Chips
Cracks and chips can happen at any moment during a child or adult’s life. On occasion, a sudden strike to the mouth from an object or just biting into a particularly hard piece of food is enough to break or crack a tooth. Your dental professional can quickly and easily repair the affected tooth with a crown and it will look as beautiful and natural as it did before the incident.
