I recently had a dental emergency on a molar. It was my own fault. I am terrified of dentists and tend to avoid them altogether. This has caused me no end of problems with my teeth. I had to have the tooth extracted. The procedure did not go smoothly. Now that it is over, the swelling has gone down a bit but the tooth next to it is really painful. it hurts with pressure and is sensitive to hot and cold. Do I have a second emergency on my hand?
Catherine
Dear Catherine,
The pain you’re experiencing is quite normal after a traumatic tooth extraction. It should get better. I’d give it a little bit more time before growing concerned. When you went in for your emergency dental appointment, your dentist should have taken x-rays. He would have noticed if the adjacent molar had problems.
It’s fantastic you had the courage to go to see the dentist when your tooth hurt. You may not know this, but people still die from tooth infections. This only happens when the infection is left untreated by a dentist. Often, people think an antibiotic will be enough. It’s not. A dentist has to get in there and physically remove the infected material. If it is just on the tooth, this can be done with a simple filling, but if it reaches the pulp, it will require a root canal treatment.
Anxiety-Free Dental Care
Dental anxiety can be debilitating. I want to suggest something which I think can change your life. I’d like you to see a sedation dentist. This will make those frightening procedures so much easier.
There are a couple of levels of sedation too, which allows you to tailor your treatment to the anxiety you experience. If you’re just having mild anxiety, simple nitrous oxide should be enough to relax you and allow your local anesthetic to do its job.
For more severe anxiety, I would recommend you get oral conscious sedation. This is a simple pill you will take before your appointment. However, it is strong. You will be completely relaxed. Most patients sleep through their appointment.
I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Libertyville, IL Dentist Dr. David Potts.