Home > Health A to Z > Here's Why You Shouldn't Procrastinate With Dental Treatment

Here's Why You Shouldn't Procrastinate With Dental Treatment

Dr. Sreelekha Daruvuri

3 Min Read

Fast Check Fact Checked

Dental health is important and also a part of physical health but many tend to ignore dental concerns or postpone dental check ups for various reasons. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the new normal of staying home has become a mainstay. Many health issues are put on hold as people are either fearful of going outside, or don’t see the importance of regular checkups.

Dental treatment is often procrastinated and can have discomforting consequences in the long run. Routine dental visits help in diagnosing tooth problems before they become too serious. Most people with dental issues postpone a consultation with a professional and use home remedies to temporarily fix their issue. The truth is that dental issues can worsen if treatment is delayed and can lead to severity of the concern and in fact can require a greater degree of medical intervention

Why do people procrastinate treatment for dental concerns?

Treatment for dental concerns is often ignored for many reasons. The neglect of oral health can come with a busy schedule or the lack of understanding of how important oral health really is. Usually many of us tend to only care about our physical health, aka our general health. Dental consultations are also avoided due to fear of painful procedures and the cost associated with it. The problem with oral health is that not all the symptoms are proportional to the severity of the underlying issue.

It’s not always the case that a dental procedure is needed to help heal a dental concern. Should you experience pain or discomfort with your teeth or general oral health, consulting with a dentist should be a priority.

3 common dental concerns you should never ignore

Sensitive teeth:
Tooth sensitivity is often caused by dental caries or cavities. They are the most common dental disease present even in toddlers. Caries are caused when acid produced by bacteria erodes the outer layer of the tooth i.e enamel. These bacteria use up the sugars and interact with the sugars forming a plaque further extending the problem to gums. Along with sensitivity one can experience pain and presence of holes or pits on teeth. Consult with a dentist and based on the extent of the disease, X Rays will be advised before treatment is prescribed.

Toothache:

Toothache can also be a symptom of dental caries but can also be caused by fracture of the tooth or gum disease. People often take over the counter medication which temporarily helps with the symptoms but the underlying problem could only get worse with time. It needs a medical professional’s opinion to halt the worsening of the primary issue.

Bleeding gums:

This is commonly caused due to long term inflammation of the gums and can be associated with pain and swelling of the gums. There can be intolerance to even mildly spiced foods. It can be accompanied by foul or bad breath. If this is not treated in the early stages, it can lead to loose teeth and also leads to abscess formation (pus inside the gum)

When to see a doctor

Consult a dentist immediately if you exhibit any of the following dental conditions:

Painful or sensitive teeth
Persistent bad breath even after brushing
Inflamed and bleeding gums
Ulcers and sores in the mouth occurring frequently
Difficulty in chewing

Read our blog to understand which dental concerns need immediate treatment.

Dental precautions to consider

Brush twice daily to avoid infections
Floss after every brushing session
Avoid using toothpicks, pins or anything else to pick your teeth, it can cause sensitivity concerns
Avoiding sugary foods
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol as this will disturb the natural environment of the oral tissues

Routine dental check ups are advised every 6 months. This will help the dentist catch any concerns early and dramatically reduce the amount of treatment needed. Procrastinating oral care will only lead to progression of the problem.