Maintaining your teeth and gum health not only keeps your oral health in excellent shape, but it also contributes to the sound overall health of your entire body. When you start to see symptoms of dental problems, it can mean your whole body’s well-being is off balance.
When you notice certain or experience certain dental concerns, Alireza Panahpour, DDS, of The Systemic Dentist in Los Angeles, California, recommends seeking dental care right away. If you’re experiencing any of these four symptoms, it’s time to see the dentist immediately.
Why seek dental care quickly?
Many dental problems don’t cause any symptoms, so when you see indications of problems in your mouth, it can mean your issue has already advanced to a more severe stage. As a dentist focused on your entire body, Dr. Panahpour is also highly aware of various syndromes dental symptoms can signal.
Seeing Dr. Panahpour for dental care immediately enables him to identify and treat the problem before further damage occurs.
In emergencies, such as losing a tooth or a serious laceration inside your mouth, visiting Dr. Panahpour or the emergency room as soon as the trauma occurs increases the chances of saving your natural tooth or treating a potentially life-threatening issue. For other urgent issues, Dr. Panahpour sees you at his office as soon as possible and performs a diagnostic evaluation to determine the cause of your symptoms and develop a treatment plan.
Four reasons you need to get dental care right away
1. Your tooth cracks, feels loose, chips, or falls out
Damage or loss to your teeth can cause significant damage. Losing teeth can impede the structure of your jaw and make it harder to talk or eat, and a tooth that cracks or chips is weaker and at risk of developing an infection or abscess.
Whether due to trauma or gum disease, a permanent tooth that falls out is an emergency situation that requires an immediate visit to Dr. Panahpour or the emergency room. Dr. Panahpour aims to save your tooth, or if your tooth can’t be saved, he can fit you with a very natural-looking and acting dental implant.
Teeth with cracks or chips usually require a cavity filling, root canal alternative, or root canal, and monitoring as they’re at high risk for becoming infected. If your teeth are loose, Dr. Panahpour recommends treatment for gum disease to reduce your risk of further weakening of the jawbone and lost teeth.
2. Your tooth feels painful, sensitive, or is numb
Painful and sensitive teeth not only can disrupt your life, they usually indicate a serious problem like a cavity, tooth infection, or tooth fracture that needs treatment. Dr. Panahpour can also prescribe or perform treatments that relieve pain or sensitivity.
A tooth that has gone numb can signify the root of the tooth has died or that your tooth has been injured, requiring a root canal alternative or other treatment. Numbness can also mean your tooth isn’t getting the nutrients it needs because of bruxism or trauma.
3. Your gums are swollen or painful
Gums that swell up, are inflamed, or are tender are a common sign of gingivitis or gum disease, which both require immediate treatment to prevent tooth loss and bone damage. You might also experience gum bleeding, inflammation, and redness.
Swollen gums can also indicate an underlying mouth abscess or infection and other systemic conditions. As a holistic dentist, Dr. Panahpour also checks to see if these symptoms are a sign of conditions like diabetes, cancer, or leukemia.
4. You have swelling, pus, or a cut that won’t heal in your mouth or jaw
Dr. Panahpour doesn’t just treat your teeth and gums. He’s also an expert on your mouth and jaw areas. Symptoms in these areas can indicate a potentially urgent or serious issue.
Pus or swelling in your mouth or jaw is often a symptom of a dental abscess or other infection that can spread and become systemic throughout your body if not treated right away. Cuts that won’t heal can also be caused by infections, or in rare cases, oral cancer.
Swelling in your jaw, along with clicking and jaw pain or stiffness, is a sign you might have TMJ, an impairment of the temporomandibular joints that connects your face and jaw. Untreated TMJ can lead to bruxism, severe neck pain, and spinal and back problems.
If you have any of these symptoms, it’s time to see Dr. Panahpour for a diagnostic evaluation. For an urgent appointment, call us right away.