In the past, people created myths to help explain things they didn’t quite understand. Myths are beliefs that are inaccurate or unfounded in fact. Who knows how myths start, but once they do, they tend to spread quickly and stick around for years. For instance, the 脫智慧齒收費 ancient greek pantheon was so influential that students continue to learn about this mythology today.
Unfortunately, other myths aren’t as entertaining or relatively harmless. Myths about dentistry and dental emergencies can be detrimental to those going through them. What are some common myths? How can they cause more trouble during a dental emergency? What are the truths behind the myths? Keep reading to find out!
Myth #1: You must Be in Pain to have a Dental Emergency.
Although dental pain comes along with many types of dental emergencies, it is not a prerequisite. For instance, let’s say you accidentally drop your dentures onto the hard floor, causing them to break. You’re not in pain, but that’s definitely an urgent situation needing to be addressed right away!
Another example is chipping a tooth. Often this emergency doesn’t necessarily cause pain, but you want it taken care of as soon as possible because of its impact on your smile’s appearance.
Don’t feel like you need to be miserable in order to meet with a dentist on short notice. Same-day appointments are available to help if you find yourself in a dental emergency with or without pain.
Myth #2: Going to the Emergency room Would be Better than Visiting a Dentist.
At first, it may seem like a good idea to rush to the hospital for urgent problems, but not when it comes to dental issues. The only times you should go to the emergency room for dental-related issues include the following:
Fractured or broken jawbone.
Oral bleeding that lasts longer than 30 minutes and shows no sign of stopping.
Trauma to your head or neck.
Oral swelling interferes with your ability to breathe.
Unfortunately, at the emergency room, the medical doctors do not have the training or equipment to deal with dental problems like a deep cavity, fractured tooth, and the like. At most, they can prescribe antibiotics, but they’ll send you home with an untreated dental emergency and a large bill.
Unless you’re in a medical emergency, such as one of the ones mentioned above, you should turn to a dentist for help.
Myth #3: You can Put a Dislodged Tooth Back into Place Yourself Without Seeing a Dentist.
When a tooth is dislodged, or even partially dislodged, time is important. The tooth has only about an hour before the odds of saving it drop dramatically. As a result, you should try to re-implant the tooth, but you should also get to your dentist’s office as soon as possible. They can make sure the tooth is reseated properly and potentially put a splint on the tooth to hold it in place while the tissues reattach to it. Otherwise, you could end up losing the tooth and needing to replace it.
Myth #4: You don’t need to Get Treatment Right away.
Dental emergencies rarely happen during a “convenient” time. Perhaps you have a deadline at work, so you consider putting off going to the dentist for a week or two longer. Don’t! As soon as you notice the problem, whether you’re in pain or not, a dental emergency should be treated quickly. You have a little bit of wiggle room a day or two, but putting it off for too long simply isn’t worth the risk to your oral health.
Myth #5: A Tooth Infection Will go Away on its own.
Unlike a cold or a minor stomach bug, dental infections do not eventually work their way out of your system. In other words, a cavity will not heal or get better without professional treatment. It will remain and even continue to delve deeper into the tooth or spread to the surrounding teeth. Needless to say, you need to see a dentist to remove the decayed structure and tissue and restore the tooth before it gets worse.
Myth #6: You’ll Save More money If you Wait to get Treated.
In some situations, you can avoid paying for something by putting it off. For instance, some products at stores may be put on sale a couple of weeks later. However, again, dental problems only get worse over time. As a result, more invasive-and expensive-procedures become necessary. What could be treated a root canal and crown now could require tooth extraction and replacement later. Replacing a tooth cost significantly more than treating it.
If you’re fortunate to notice a problem early enough, you can save money by addressing the problem with the least invasive treatment. Postponing seeing a dentist will likely end with a higher bill than if you had resolved sooner.
Myth #7: A Knocked-Out Baby Tooth Doesn’t Matter.
Baby teeth are temporary. Eventually, they come out naturally to allow permanent, adult teeth to erupt. As a result, many parents don’t consider it a big deal if a baby tooth is knocked out of their child’s mouth prematurely. If your child is around the time when they would lose them anyway, it might not be, but losing a baby tooth too soon could result in problems for the permanent teeth still developing under the gums.
In the end, giving credence to these myths will only harm you and your smile in the long run. Acting quickly and getting dental emergencies treated by your dentist will help you get back on track as soon as possible. That’s something you can believe with certainty!