Having a toothache is one of the most painful sensations to ever feel. Regardless of whether the pain is aching and dull or stabbing and sharp, its intensity can affect your ability to enjoy eating, talking, and just living out your basic life. The great thing is that type of pain is very treatable. Dentists over the years have tried and tested methods to treat these eventualities. So there are many options for you to consider to avoid tooth pain going forward.
Before we get to how to find a good dentist let’s begin with learning what causes toothaches.
Read more: Toothache: Causes, Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Toothache - Causes
Toothaches are generally caused by damage or injury to the tooth itself or the tissues that surround it. The nature of pain caused by a damaged tooth ranges in intensity going from mild to very grave. At times it can be continue throughout the day and sometimes fade in and out. Tooth pain is often caused by:
Filings that are Damaged and Cavities
Usually, cavities are small and don’t cause any issues when they first make an appearance. But if you don’t fill up a cavity fast, it will grow. In due course, the decay will expand to the enamel and go through the dentin part of the tooth, this is where it starts to cause irritation in the nerves. If for example, you’ve filled a cavity and the filling broke or become misplaced, decay can set in around the filing that is damaged causing tooth pain. Best dentist Atlanta is really good at solving this problem and many other issues.
Chipped and Broken Teeth
If you happen to play sport, chew gum, or just experience an accident, and break or chip your tooth in the process, it’s possible to experience tooth pain. At times patients don’t even notice that they have cracked their tooth until pain develops later on.
Bruxism
Toothache can sometimes result from clenching, bruxism, or grinding your teeth, due to irritation in the nervous. If for instance, you wake up with tooth pain that subsides during the day, you may be clenching or grinding your teeth during the night. Others do this when they’re undergoing some level of stress.
Searching for a Dentist - Here What to Do
The American Dental Association ADA provides the following advice:
The first thing to do is to create a list of prospective dentists you feel can attend to your matter. Start with first asking friends, family members, and other healthcare practitioners for suggestions. After that, research the dentist's experience and credentials. Once your search is narrowed down, you can begin to place a call to each dentist's office requesting a consultation or ask to interview the dentist before using his/her services.
Gender Considerations
Discussing personal issues can be uncomfortable. So you must be comfortable with the gender of your dentist because you’ll need to talk about personal information openly. And because some types of dental care need sensitive details, your dentist's gender becomes an important factor to consider.
In fact, dentists are becoming skilled in taking care of men's and women's needs separately, so you can ask a prospective dentist about his recent experience and training which is directly relevant to gender and your condition.
Enquire About Telehealth Measures
Today dentists can treat and diagnose patients making use of telecommunications tech. This includes using email and two-way video smartphones, this facilitation method is called Telehealth. All you need to do is simply ask your dentist if he/she offers telehealth capabilities. This facilitation method doesn’t overtake physical contact, but it does mean that some patients won’t need to go to the dentist's office as often because some symptoms are manageable by sending evidence in the form of pictures, vital signs for example are collected at home by a virtual assistant that works with your health care provider. This method is useful for routine follow-ups and small complaints.
Assess Communication Style
Select a dentist that you’re comfortable talking to and one that will give you all the information you need. In your initial meeting with the dentist, you can simply pose a question and pay attention to how he or she responds. Do you find that he/she welcomes your questions and responds in a manner that you can understand clearly? After your meeting, check to see if you felt engaged or rushed? Look for a dentist with a genuine interest to know you, a dentist who will take your treatment preferences into account and also respect the process you follow when making decisions.
Reviews
When you read what other individuals have to say concerning a dentist, you can glean valuable insight into the way a dentists practices his/her craft and also how the dental practice is operated.
Looking up patient reviews you will observe how each individual experienced the booking process, office environment, the courtesy of the staff, and waiting period. You're able to discover how much trust patients have with the dentist's expertise, how meticulous the dentist is, and how properly he or she pays attention and answers questions.
Insurance Cover
To ensure you receive dental insurance benefits and pay less from your pocket, you need to select a dentist who is a participant in your plan. In this regard, it's still important to take into account the dentist's experience, credentials, outcomes, and the quality of the hospital as you choose a dentist to take care of your tooth pain.
Credentials
Checking the dentist's board certification is an important factor to think about when deciding on a dentist. It confirms that the dentist in question has the required skills, expertise, and training to offer health care in basic dentistry. Also, double-check to see if the dentist you’re about to choose does not have a history of disciplinary action or claims of malpractice. You’re able to retrieve this information at the dentists training hospital, medical school, and state website.
All in all, both you and your dentist will be oral care partners for the long term, so you need to look for someone that you can work well with. This must be a dentist that will meet your needs and tick all your boxes. So make sure you ask the right questions to make a confident and informed decision.
Related reading
- Periodontal Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Home Treatment.
- Best Universities to Study Dentistry in Nigeria.
- Gum Disease: When to see your dentist?
- How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Isreal olabanji a dental assistant and public health professionals and has years of experience in assisting the dentist with all sorts of dental issues.
We regularly post timely and trustworthy medical information and news on Fitness, Dental care, Recipes, Child health, obstetrics, and more.
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The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you to interpret any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.