I don’t have a lot of money at the moment and it is even worse with the holidays at the moment. I know it is important to treat it and I will. I’m just hoping that I can put it off until maybe March, when my tax refund comes in.
Bernard
Dear Bernard,
It will be really hard to diangose this without seeing you. However, I can give you some basic principles that may help you navigate this. The first thing to remember is that if it is hurting you need to see a dentist right away. That’s important even if it stopped hurting but is hurting again. This is a sign of an active infection which is considered a dental emergency. You won’t need to go in today, but will want to get in fairly soon. An Active infection grows and can become life threating. Another sign of an active infection is if there is a pimple on your gums.
If it is not hurting, you may be able to wait. I could not tell you how long because each infection is different. I know of a patient who had an arrested infection for about eight years. She didn’t even realize it. Once we did the root canal treatment, she felt better. She had no idea that the unexplained achiness and general malaise she had been feeling was due to an infected tooth.
There is an additional risk to waiting that you should be aware of. In some cases, there is external resorption where the infection slowly eats away at the root of the tooth. This makes the tooth unsaveable. The only option you’ll have then is a tooth extraction and replacement.
If you are in a situation with an active infection, I suggest that you call around to some local dentists and see if they’d be willing to work with you on payments. This way you can get the treatment you need, but pay it out slowly until your refund come in.
This blog is brought to you Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.