What’s The Delay?
When a patient visits us and we find an oral health issue that requires treatment, we recommend following through as soon as possible for many reasons. First and foremost, treating a dental health problem early is usually the patient’s best chance to restore their oral health. Just like many other diseases, oral health diseases will not magically heal on their own. The longer a patient waits to get treatment, the more complicated treatment becomes.
The Consequences of Waiting
We understand that receiving dental treatment is no one’s idea of fun, but when a patient has an oral health problem, getting treatment right away is always better than waiting. Delaying treatment can lead to additional dental health issues and can affect general health as well.
Here are two common scenarios:
Cavities
Small cavities may not cause discomfort, but if they are not treated, they will grow larger and deeper, exposing more sensitive parts of the tooth and eventually making it painful to put pressure on it. Additionally, as a cavity spreads and involves more of the tooth, it can breed infection, causing gum disease or an abscess.
Waiting until the point of discomfort to treat a cavity is a mistake. Whereas a small cavity may only involve one surface of the tooth, as it grows, it can spread to other surfaces, meaning a larger filling and possibly a crown if too much of the tooth is compromised. If the cavity extends deep into the tooth, it could reach the nerves in the pulp and necessitate a root canal. At that point, there’s always the possibility that we won’t be able to save the tooth with a root canal and will need to extract it. Obviously, a small filling on one surface of a tooth is quicker, easier, and less costly than a large, multi-surface filling, a crown, a root canal, or a tooth extraction.
Gum Disease
In its early stages, gum disease is painless, and the symptoms may be subtle, but that should not fool anyone into thinking that treatment at this stage is optional. In fact, gum disease treatment is vital in the early stage, as it’s the only time when there’s a chance to reverse it. Once gum disease advances to periodontitis, it’s incurable, which usually means a strict treatment regimen and more frequent dental visits for periodontal maintenance.
When gum disease goes untreated, it starts a vicious cycle of infection that will eventually result in tooth loss. We can also link gum disease to other health issues like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Treating gum disease early is far less involved and costly than ignoring it — not to mention the lower risk of additional adverse health effects. Many patients can manage their gum disease with a deep cleaning at Infinity Dental Care, accompanied by a consistent home oral hygiene routine and periodontal maintenance appointments every four months.
Call Infinity Dental Care!
If you’ve been holding off on treating a dental health problem, do yourself a favor and call Infinity Dental Care, located in Walnut Grove, CA, today. We will examine your teeth and gums to reassess the issue and create an updated treatment plan to get your oral health back on track. We never judge patients for delaying treatment. Our only goal is to help them lead healthier, happier lives!
