Five signs it is time to book an appointment
Sensitivity, bleeding gums, a bad taste that will not shift. What these usually mean and how urgent they are.
Most people wait longer than they should. Here is what is worth acting on, and roughly how quickly.
1. Pain that wakes you up
A tooth that aches on and off during the day is one thing. A tooth that wakes you at night, or that throbs when you lie down, usually means the nerve is involved. That needs seeing within days, not weeks. Painkillers will mask it but the problem carries on underneath.
2. Gums that bleed every time you brush
Occasional bleeding after a gap in flossing is common. Bleeding every single time, or gums that look puffy and dark, points to gum disease. It is treatable and largely reversible early on. Left alone it takes the bone with it, and that part does not come back.
3. Sensitivity to cold or sweet things
A short sharp response to cold that stops as soon as the cold does is usually exposed dentine or a small crack, and it is manageable. Sensitivity that lingers for thirty seconds or more after the stimulus is gone is a different signal and should be checked.
4. A bad taste or smell that does not shift
If it survives brushing, tongue cleaning and mouthwash, something is producing it: a decayed tooth, food packing between teeth, an infected gum pocket, or a failing old filling. It is worth finding rather than covering.
5. A tooth that has moved, chipped or feels different when you bite
Teeth do not usually change position in adulthood without a reason. A bite that suddenly feels wrong can mean a cracked tooth, a filling that has come loose, or bone loss around a root. Any of those are better found early.
And if nothing is wrong
Come anyway, twice a year. That is the appointment that stops the other five from happening.
