How Do You Know If You Need a Tooth Extraction?

All of us likely have gone through toothaches at some point and are aware of how stressful and painful the experience is! Most toothaches will make you rush to a dental office near you, as immediate dental care can often prevent minor situations from getting worse. 

Most toothaches are the result of germ action that causes tooth decay or gum infections. Generally, they can be resolved with dental treatments such as fillings or root canals. However, at times the infected tooth is beyond the salvage point and needs to be removed to prevent the spread of infection to other parts of the mouth. This happens when the decay has reached deep within the tooth, destroying most of the tooth structure and tooth root, making it impossible for the tooth to be resurrected. In this situation, when no restorative dental treatment can help, visiting a dentist for tooth extraction near you is inevitable.

Reasons Why A Tooth Extraction Might Be Recommended

Although preserving your natural teeth is the priority of our dentists at Royal Vista Dental, sometimes it might not be possible to avoid an extraction. 

• Tooth Infection - Practising good oral hygiene is an essential part of your overall health. In the absence of good dental habits, your teeth are prone to decays and infections due to the presence of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Tooth decay leads to cavities, which, in its worst form, affects the pulp chamber of the tooth. A root canal can often reverse the situation by removing the infected pulp from the root canal. However, if the infection in a tooth has destroyed most of its structure, and a root canal and antibiotic treatments have failed to tackle the situation, the tooth needs to be extracted. Otherwise, there is a high likelihood that the infection can spread and cause more damage. 

• Gum disease - Several forms of gum infections can leave teeth feeling loose as they weaken the dental support structure. Gingivitis, periodontitis, and chronic periodontitis are some of the common gum infections, that are caused by the formation of plaque and tartar at the base of the teeth. When left untreated, the bacterial action in tartar or calculus results in the gums receding and exposing the roots of the teeth. Further deterioration of the condition can leave you with no choice other than a tooth extraction. 

• Orthodontic treatment - Sometimes a tooth might need to be pulled for orthodontic purposes, such as correcting the problem of crowding. The misalignment of teeth may also at times block a tooth from erupting. Orthodontic treatments are performed not just for aesthetic reasons, but also to prevent issues of dental hygiene. In such cases also, tooth extraction becomes necessary to restore the proper positioning of the teeth.

• Wisdom tooth extraction - Wisdom tooth extraction is the most common type of dental extraction and is usually a simple procedure. Owing to their inaccessible position, at the rear of the mouth, wisdom teeth are the most difficult to clean and hence are prone to decay. If you happen to have a cavity or decay in a wisdom tooth, it is best to visit a dental office in NW Calgary and have it extracted. 

How To Prevent A Tooth Extraction?

The importance of following a good oral hygiene ritual cannot be stressed enough by dentists. Apart from some dental extractions which are not the result of poor dental care, most can be prevented by the following rules of good dental care:

• Brushing teeth twice daily, flossing, and disinfecting the mouth with mouthwash.
• Following a healthy diet to ensure your teeth receive proper nutrition.
• Quitting harmful habits like smoking, chewing tobacco, and excessive drinking.
• Going for regular dental checkups.
• Seeking dental care at the right time before an issue escalates to critical stages.

However, at times you might end up requiring tooth extraction in NW Calgary, despite your best efforts. Please contact Royal Vista Dental for any queries or assistance you might require regarding tooth extraction and our expert team will be happy to help!