Many adults suffer from a number of dental concerns every year. From TMJ disorder and jaw dysfunction to periodontal disease and even decay, dental concerns are a natural occurrence. While most of them can be easily addressed if acted on early, a number of individuals wait until it is too late before seeking help, ultimately requiring more extensive treatments or procedures to remedy. In today’s blog, your Pella, IA dentist will look at the manner in which decay affects your smile and how choosing not to address it earlier on can result in the need for a dental extraction in order to preserve your health.
When Restorations Continue to Fail
Every smile contains oral bacteria, and the key to healthy one is making sure to practice excellent habits to keep them at bay. A steady combination of preventive care at home, attending routine dental visits, and paying mind to the types of food and beverages you consume all work together to establish a lifelong grin. When these bacteria nestle in the hard-to-clean areas of the mouth, however, they can be difficult to remove and will thrive there. If this occurs, they will begin to target the natural structure of your teeth by secreting harmful acid that aids in weakening and breaking down the structure. When this continues, a small hole will form, also known as a cavity. Restorative measures such as a dental filling may address this concern quickly and easily if addressed in a timely manner. Once it is permitted to grow, however, it may decay past a point in which a filling will no longer suffice. This can continue on and on until all options are exhausted, eventually warranting the need for a removal.
Poses a Threat to Surrounding Teeth
In addition to the level of damage incurred, a compromised tooth can contain enough infection to the point that surrounding teeth become at risk for infection or loss as well. Indeed, if you do not remove a compromised tooth and instead wait for it to fall out on its own, by that point the infection will have spread significantly and ultimately result in the deterioration of your surrounding teeth. In other words, your chances for future structural loss increase dramatically.
It Begins to Impact Your Every Day
Another issue that arises when you do not seek treatment for a highly infected structure includes the way it impacts your everyday life. Decay spreads from the outside in, meaning that it will begin to damage the inner dental pulp and nerves contained within a tooth. As a result, you can experience sharp pain, difficulty biting and chewing, and more. In cases such as these, your only viable solution will be to have the tooth pulled.
Schedule Your Appointment
To learn more about the dangers of not addressing a compromised structure or to schedule your visit with our team, contact Allen & Neumann Family Dentistry in Pella, IA by calling 641-628-1121 today.