Even if you love your teeth, saving them could sound like a hassle to you. Fair enough – that process would involve time, money, and effort you likely want to spend elsewhere. The thought of going through it may even leave you questioning, “Why are teeth worth saving?” However, keeping your chompers through root canals is always better than losing them. Find out why that’s the case with this helpful summary from your Huntsville dentist.
Losing Teeth is Too “Costly”
If you take your teeth for granted, losing one or two may not seem like a big deal. Still, the truth is that any degree of tooth loss is too costly a price.
Losing teeth – even from extractions – tends to really damage your oral health. As it goes unchecked, the resulting smile gaps can alter your bite and tilt other teeth until they fall out. Those spaces also serve as breeding grounds for harmful bacteria, elevating your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. That means failing to save a tooth will open you to many other dental issues.
More crucially, loss of natural teeth lowers quality of life. That’s partly because it makes many everyday actions – eating, speaking, smiling, etc. – hard or impossible. At the same time, the loss often lowers a person’s confidence and leads to sadness or depression.
The Priceless Perks of Saving Teeth
In contrast to tooth loss, saving teeth is always a worthwhile choice. It comes with a host of priceless perks that make life delightful.
For starters, keeping your natural teeth is a major mood booster. You’ll feel more self-assured and less anxious if you can eat, speak, and smile without worry. From there, you’re free to mingle with friends, family, and other peers while staying calm!
Also, note that the “costs” of saving teeth are small in the long run. For example, discomfort from a root canal is mild (if it occurs) compared to the pain of a lost tooth. Similarly, paying for the treatment will save you money otherwise spent on dental restorations. Even a little time spent on a root canal is better than much spent on tooth replacement.
How to Recover from Tooth-Saving Root Canals
To make saving your teeth even more worthwhile, use tips and tricks to recover from your root canal(s). Some good ones are:
- Be Careful of the Treated Tooth – While you’re waiting on your permanent dental crown, avoid chewing on your treated tooth.
- Eat Soft Foods for a While – Hard foods could irritate your treated tooth, so only eat soft foods for a while. Examples include well-cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, and yogurt.
- Keep Your Mouth Clean – Clean mouths recover more quickly from root canals than dirty ones. So, remember to brush your teeth after each meal and floss at least once a day.
“Why are teeth worth saving,” you ask? Because they let you enjoy life– see for yourself by getting treatment soon!
About the Author
Dr. Deborah S. Bishop is a dentist based in Huntsville, AL, having earned her DMD from the University of Alabama School of Dentistry. Her main specialty is endodontics and the general repair of damaged teeth! That being the case, you can trust her for restorative services like root canals, apicoectomies, and similar oral surgeries. Today, Dr. Bishop practices at her self-titled clinic and is reachable on her website and by phone at (256)-882-5161.