Toothaches Sometimes Go Away On Their Own – But Don’t Be Fooled!

Burton and Ashby Dentist, Yogi Savania, discusses why you should still see your dentist.

A toothache is a warning sign that all is not well. Where a toothache is severe, it is likely to result in a ‘phone call to make an emergency dental appointment but where it’s milder, you may be tempted to delay contacting us to see what happens. In most cases, what happens is that the toothache becomes worse and an appointment becomes inevitable. Occasionally though, the toothache can ease or even go altogether and the appointment is deferred.

Possibly because we sometimes get general aches and pains which usually go away with time, it can be tempting to take the same approach when it comes to our teeth. Our teeth are different though and any warning signs should not be ignored as dental issues will typically get worse if left.

Do you still need to see the dentist?

The answer is an emphatic yes. Whilst a reduction in pain may come as a welcome relief, you should not assume that the problem has gone away. In all likelihood, the pain will return, probably even worse than before. Even without pain though, whatever caused the problem could be causing further damage that will eventually require more extensive treatment to correct.

We do understand that some patients of Alexandra Dental Care are nervous about coming to see a dentist and a fear of the dentist can be very hard to overcome. Despite this, ignoring problems will almost certainly make things worse and may result in additional issues if you ignore the early warning signs.

Any discomfort is a signal, and as soon as you notice this you should contact your dentist for an appointment, and this is the case whether the pain is severe or mild. There is little point in waiting in the hope that it will go away and the sooner you see a dentist, the less invasive any treatment is likely to be.

Resolving the problem

When you come to our Burton and Ashby dental practice we will ask a few questions about the type of discomfort you are feeling and also examine the tooth in question. Where the problem is not visible, an x-ray may be taken in case the root canals of the tooth have become infected.

In most cases, and especially if detected early, we may be able to provide a straightforward filling, and these can be supplied ‘tooth coloured’ which offer a better aesthetic result than traditional amalgam. Where a cavity is very large, we may recommend that a crown is fitted in order to provide a sufficient level of strength and reconstruction.

In some cases, an x-ray may reveal an infection in the root canals of the tooth. This can be very painful and will require a root canal procedure to be carried out. Whilst this is quite a complex procedure and one that some people find frightening, it should be no more uncomfortable than most other invasive treatments, with a powerful local anaesthetic used to prevent any pain from being felt.

If you have a toothache and are hoping it will go away, or if you have cancelled an appointment because yours has, you should arrange to see your dentist as soon as you can. Early treatment may save a tooth and in nearly all cases, will prevent your toothache returning.

Please contact our team to make an appointment at Alexandra Dental Care by calling us on 01283 216347.

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