Taking care of your smile is much more involved than one might expect, and an effective dental routine consists of many parts. For instance, a well-rounded preventive plan consists of care at home such as brushing and flossing, in-office care through checkups and cleanings, and paying mind to what you eat. Even still, you may be doing everything correctly and still experience the effects of dental decay and infection, and sometimes these concerns can progress more rapidly than anticipated. In today’s blog, your Conroe, TX dentist takes a look at situations in which infection compromises your teeth and when extraction might be your best option.

Compromised Beyond Saving

As dental decay progresses, it will begin to eat away at your healthy teeth. Like many other oral health concerns, decay begins with hyperactive oral bacteria that nestle in the recesses of the mouth. Here, they feed off of the food and sugar we consume, causing them to produce a destructive acid that wears down your structures.

In its earliest stages, dental decay may cause a cavity or hole to form on your tooth. Without proper care, this hole will get bigger as the bacteria work their way deeper into the inner workings. Here, they will begin to eat away at the inner dental pulp contained in the roots and cause damage to your nerves.

After the infection has reached past a certain extent, there is no going back and your tooth will be considered compromised. This means that restorations such as fillings and root canal therapy will inevitably fail, and your next best option is to consider removing the entire structure.

A Threat to Other Teeth

Another concern that arises from a compromised tooth includes its impact on adjacent teeth. For instance, decay is considered an ongoing process, as oral bacteria continue to make things worse. That being said, the longer a compromised structure is present, your chances of losing adjacent teeth in a similar manner increase exponentially.

Many individuals may opt to allow their compromised tooth to fall out on its own. The problem with this, however, is while you wait for it to happen, your other teeth will only become infected and compromised as well. Without care, you are left with a domino effect that will result in the loss of several structures as opposed to one. To mitigate the amount of damage received, a dental extraction may be your best bet.

Impacts on Function

As your tooth weakens, your oral function will become affected as well. Indeed, the sensitivity and pain that arises from lack of treatment will make absorbing the pressure of your bite difficult, and can even lead to a reduction in appetite.

Schedule Your Appointment

Contact The Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX by calling 936-441-4600 to learn more about the importance of prioritizing your oral health, or schedule your next appointment with our team today.