Seven years ago I had a dental filling placed. It was fine for a while, but now hurts pretty much all the time. The only relief I have found is when I put water on it. Do you have any advise for me?
Brandon
Dear Brandon,
The symptoms you are describing are a tell-tale sign of an infected, dying tooth. You need to have a root canal treatment done on this as soon as possible. I would call your dentist and schedule and emergency dental appointment. If he or she cannot get you in, then I would call a dentist who advertises as an emergency dentist. This is not a specialty. It just means a dentist who is willing to see non-established patients in the case of an emergency.
It is unlikely they will do the root canal treatment there. However, what they can do is create an opening which will relieve the pressure and the pain you are feeling. Please do not think this can be put off once you are out of pain. The only real way to get rid of a dental infection is for the dentist to physically removed the infected pulp. This will only get worse until the real treatment is done.
Disclaimer: This article is general information from Dr. Harveer Kaur and is not a substitute for a dental exam, diagnosis, or treatment. Every mouth is different. If you have a concern about your teeth or gums, call our Ahwatukee office at (480) 283-0733 or our Chandler office at (480) 895-3252 and we will help you sort it out.
Dr. Harveer Kaur, DDS, BDS
Dr. Kaur is the founder of Kokopelli Dentistry, serving patients in Ahwatukee and Chandler, Arizona. She focuses on family and cosmetic dentistry.
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