If You Have Toothache, Don’t See The Doctor!

24 / 10 / 2018

If You Have Toothache, Don’t See The Doctor!

Why The Dentist Should Be Your First Port Of Call If You Have Problems With Your Teeth Or Gums.

A report out today indicates that around 380,000 people each year make an appointment to see their GP about a problem with their teeth or gums (reference 1 below). This makes no sense at all to us, and, in the vast majority of cases, there is every likelihood that you will simply be told by your GP to see a dentist instead; meaning yet another appointment that will take time out of your busy schedule.

There may be occasions where you see your GP about a concern with your mouth that you feel is more general, and may then be referred to your dentist. Equally, dentists may also refer you to your GP if they notice possible indicators that could mean the presence of oral cancer. In general though, if you have a toothache, sore or bleeding gums, the dentist should be the first place to contact.

A welcoming practice

We know that some people may worry about seeing a dentist, and this may be one of the reasons for the number of people who see a doctor instead. At the Lighthouse Dental Practice, you will find that we have a friendly and welcoming team who will do all that they can to make your visit as pleasant as possible. Many people who suffer from dental anxiety do so because they have not been for some time, and this is one of the reasons why we encourage our patients to maintain their six-monthly checks. Doing so also reduces the likelihood of needing more extensive treatment.

Where any invasive treatment is needed, we can offer our Ipswich patients dental sedation. This enables you to remain conscious during your treatment, albeit in a very relaxed state.

Preventative dental care

The type of problems with the mouth that may cause people to see their doctor may well stem from a lack of preventative oral health care, both at home, and under the guidance of a dental professional. However long it has been since you saw a dentist, doing so is the only way to prevent further deterioration and to start to get your teeth and gum health back on track.

Longer-term absentees, in general, are more likely to need treatment than those who have perhaps missed just one six-monthly appointment. Our experienced team can help restore your teeth to a healthy state and hopefully minimise the need for significant intervention in the future; but only if you attend regularly and keep up with your personal oral care at home.

Where to start

To paraphrase an old saying, the first step that you take is one step closer to the final destination, and picking up your ‘phone, or emailing us to make an appointment means that you have taken the first step in your commitment to a healthy mouth. Whether you do this because you have a toothache or simply because you suddenly realise that it’s been a while since you saw a dentist doesn’t really matter to us. There is no need to feel embarrassed if you have ‘let your teeth go’.

We have seen many patients over the years who have done this and we take pride in enabling them to have a healthy set of teeth following a course of treatment at our Ipswich practice.

Your first visit will not involve treatments and will consist of a thorough examination by the dentist, together with recording the condition of your teeth and gums. X-rays are also possible to see if there are any issues beneath the gum line and once we have the results of these, we will discuss with you any treatment that you need to restore your teeth. There are many possibilities, from a small dental filling to the use of dental implants to replace a missing tooth, or a number of teeth. Suitable appointment times can then be made to start the treatment.

In summary

If your teeth are hurting or your gums are sore or bleeding, please don’t call your doctor for an appointment as they will already be busy dealing with other health matters.

If you live in the Ipswich area, a phone call to the Lighthouse Dental Practice should be your first port of call and you can reach us by calling our team on 01473 257 379.

We are here to help you.
If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly team about any of the issues in this article please visit our contact page or call us on 01473 257379.