We can probably all agree: toothaches are the worst. They hurt, they prevent you fully enjoying your favorite food, and they always seem to show up at the worst time. But notwithstanding how awful they are, people are often hesitant to seek treatment. They fear needing a root canal, which they fear may cause more pain than their toothache. But it is important to get your toothache taken care of as soon as possible.
The pain you feel from a toothache comes from having an abscess. An abscess is an infectious result of tooth decay, tooth damage, or gum disease. Bacteria can infect the soft inner layer of your tooth, called the pulp. Pus builds up over time in the root, forming the abscess. The infection can spread to the jaw bone and other teeth, ultimately resulting in tooth loss. Your toothache won’t just go away after a while.
While abscessed teeth are serious, treatments vary and may not be very invasive. Sometimes taking antibiotics will take care of infection-causing bacteria. Other times, draining the infection or cleaning also helps. But root canal treatment may also be necessary, and this is where many people feel fear.
Root canals have the reputation of being terribly painful procedures. Thanks to advances in dental techniques and anesthesia, though, many are accomplished with a minimum of discomfort. The key to remember is that it is best to get treatment as early as possible. The longer you wait, the worse it can be.
If you are living with a toothache, don’t lose any more time. Call Ronald Hauptman, DDS and Bahar Rowhani, DDS in Falls Church, Virginia, today to get the relief you deserve.