You know that if you feel extreme pain in a tooth, knock out a tooth, or experience another clear dental emergency, you need to call your dentist right away. But sometimes, you might notice changes in your smile that do not feel so severe. However, even slight discomforts in your teeth or gums could point to a serious issue with your oral health.
Do not ignore these concerns because they could be symptoms of a larger oral health problem that will warrant urgent evaluation and attention from your dentist. You can better understand the extent of this concern when you view some examples of potential issues that seem small but may point to a major problem. Read on to learn details about three dental issues that seem mild but may require urgent treatment from a dentist.
Tooth Sensitivity
Have you noticed a sharp jolt of pain in your tooth when you bite down on an item? Does the pain fade quickly after you remove the item from your mouth? This intermittent dental pain likely stems from tooth sensitivity.
Because the pain goes away on its own, you might not think it is a big deal. But oral pain of any kind is abnormal and worthy of attention from your dentist. Tooth sensitivity in particular happens when the enamel, the outer layer of the tooth, erodes to expose underlying nerves in the tooth’s interior.
Weakened enamel means that your teeth are vulnerable to other dental issues like tooth decay. Tooth sensitivity might also happen because of existing cavities or other dental concerns. So make sure you tell your dentist about this type of tooth pain if you feel it.
Bleeding Gums
Do you notice a little blood coming from your gums after brushing your teeth or flossing? Sometimes this may happen due to irritation from excess plaque in your smile or harsh brushing methods.
But if bleeding persists on a chronic basis, and if it comes with swelling or pain in your gum tissue, then it might be a symptom of gum disease. This infection in your gums happens when natural oral bacteria reach the tissue and inflame and irritate the area.
It will not go away on its own and will advance to cause serious dental damage without periodontal therapy. Prevent tooth loss and more by seeking prompt treatment for gum problems.
Chronic Bad Breath
Bad-smelling breath can affect the best of us after a flavorful meal. But if the foul odor persists even after oral hygiene washes away lingering food particles, then this symptom could point to a larger problem.
Chronic bad breath, or halitosis, can happen due to bacterial build-up in your teeth and gums. Advanced tooth decay or gum disease can produce a bad smell that presents on your breath. So if you have bad breath that will not go away, talk to your dentist. Call your dentist before these issues progress and cause even further harm to your smile.