If you are like most people out there, the thought of having to endure extensive dental treatment might sound a bit daunting. In most cases, individuals practice an excellent preventive dental routine at home to maintain a consistently healthy smile. In some, however, it only takes falling short in one instance for bacteria to wreak havoc. Because of this, we encourage our patients to attend their preventive checkups. In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI dentist will describe how bacteria can harm your teeth when allowed to progress, as well as how we can save your teeth with root canal therapy.
How Bacteria Influence the Process
It goes without saying that parting ways with a permanent tooth is the last thing a person wants to experience in their life, but failing to care for your smile properly will result in just that. Indeed, you should be practicing a thorough routine of brushing twice daily, flossing regularly, and attending your checkups to stay on top of your oral health.
Oral bacteria are present in every smile, and even the most thorough of preventive routines cannot eliminate them completely. What we can do, however, is keep them at a minimum. When these microorganisms lurk in the hard-to-clean areas of the mouth, they begin to feed on food particles that may get stuck between teeth.
More specifically, sugars cause bacteria to produce a destructive acid. This acid aids in the breakdown of your natural tooth structure, allowing the infection to begin working its way deeper into the inner portion of your tooth. Moreover, this issue does not go away on its own, and the longer you wait to seek treatment, the worse the situation will become. Contact our team to learn more today.
When Experiencing Sensitivity and Pain
As tooth decay reaches the inner part of your tooth, bacteria begin to target and damage the sensitive nerves that are housed in your roots. When this occurs, you may begin to feel discomfort, sensitivity, and even pain. In other words, a constant toothache or sensitivity to hot and cold items is a key indicator that something is wrong, and it is important you schedule a visit with our team immediately. To learn more about this process and how we can help, give our office a call today.
Salvaging Your Structures
As we mentioned previously, saving your tooth is one of our ultimate goals. Though there is not much time before a tooth is considered compromised at the stage we are currently describing, our team can save your tooth if you come in promptly. Root canal therapy helps remove the infection and nurse your tooth back to health.
Ask Our Team About Your Options
Contact Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI by calling 248-693-6213 to schedule your next appointment with our office and learn more about the importance of seeking root canal treatment when necessary.