Every Dentist Needs Your Help Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

Many dental issues, such as severe tooth decay and tooth misalignment, are visible to the naked eye. But you can't see dental problems that lie deeper than the surface of a tooth or the gums. For that, you need a dentist. One of the most useful tools in the armory of a dentist is the dental X-ray. A dental X-ray can detect dental problems that the naked eye cannot.

Dental checkups are an important part of preventative dental care. Even if you can't see a dental problem, there may still be a deeper problem within a tooth or under the gum tissue. Dental X-rays can reveal many hidden dental issues.

1. Wisdom tooth impaction

A dental X-ray can determine if your wisdom teeth are developing normally in your jawbone. Sometimes, there isn't enough space to accommodate wisdom teeth in the jawbone. Wisdom teeth cannot erupt fully when there isn't enough space, so they become stuck. This is known as wisdom tooth impaction.

A dental X-ray can help you to see if your wisdom teeth have room to erupt. If there is a high risk of impaction, then your dentist can remove the wisdom teeth before they become a problem.

2. Bone loss

Bone loss occurs in the jawbone when you lose a tooth. The jawbone no longer requires the bone to hold a tooth, and so the bone resorbs. However, bone loss can affect your appearance. Bone loss also has a negative impact on adjacent teeth, weakening them over time. Gum disease can also cause bone loss if bacteria and pus attack the areas under the gum tissue.

A dental X-ray can spot the early warning signs of bone loss brought about by tooth loss or infection.

3. Tooth decay in hidden areas

Tooth decay can occur between teeth and under dental restorations. You often can't see hidden tooth decay until the damage spreads into the open. Dental X-rays can help you identify and treat tooth decay before it causes severe damage to a tooth.

4. Tooth or gum abscesses

Tooth and gum abscesses occur out of sight until they are so severe that they have become filled with pus. But by the time an abscess has become a severe problem, you will likely be in severe pain. If your tooth or gum doesn't feel right, a dental X-ray can help you to find out if there is an abscess growing inside a tooth or under the gum tissue.

Dental X-rays are a normal part of dental checkups. If you haven't had a dental checkup recently, book an appointment with your dentist. Your dentist can then help identify and prevent hidden dental problems.

For more information, talk to a dentist.