What Happens If You Delay Tooth Extraction?

While you may want to avoid a tooth extraction out of fear or lack of time, it’s important to realize the risks and complications that come with that delay. When you ignore the signs of needing an extraction, a few long-term effects can have severe consequences for your dental and overall health. Whether it is decay, infection, overcrowding, or trauma, the sooner you address the need for extraction, the better.

A dental professional will help you assess your needs and take the appropriate steps to maintain your teeth and gum health. Taking action ahead of time can prevent any detrimental issues from escalating into something far worse.

Delayed Tooth Extraction Risks

We tend to take our dental health for granted until something bad happens. If you have persistent pain or immediate trauma, you usually will make a swift decision to rectify the issue. But with things like gum disease, decay, overcrowding, or impacted teeth that are asymptomatic until they are at their worst, it is easy to put off an extraction until the situation becomes dire.

Knowing the serious consequences that can arise from delaying an extraction may help you make the decision sooner than later. If you recognize these risks early enough, you can avoid any serious complications in the future.

Spread of Infection

The most immediate risk of delaying a tooth extraction is developing and spreading infection. When a tooth is broken or severely decayed, bacteria can easily start to multiply and lead to a painful infection that can also become dangerous if ignored.

Affect Other Teeth

Without proper treatment, infection of one tooth can be spread to other teeth. This loosens the surrounding teeth and can cause even more issues than the initial singular infected tooth. The spread of infection can affect the neighboring teeth, gums, and jawbone.

Potential Bone Density Loss

A delayed tooth extraction can also further complicate the surrounding bone. As infection begins to spread, the bone that holds your teeth may start to recede and not fully regenerate. With the potential loss of bone density, it is so important to take care of a tooth extraction as soon as possible.

Other Serious Complications

As mentioned before, the spread of infection can impact your overall health. Infected teeth can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious medical problems. If a bacterial infection from a tooth enters your bloodstream, it can spread to other parts of the body, causing fatigue, headaches, fever, swelling of the face, increased heart rate, or stomach pains.

Necessary Delays

• Medical Conditions: Medical conditions like hypertension or unmanaged diabetes can lead to more serious complications. Patients are advised to ensure their blood sugar and blood pressure are controlled to avoid any complications after an extraction. Other severe medical conditions like anemia or severe infections may also be good reasons to postpone teeth extractions.
• Pregnancy: It is not usually recommended to proceed with a dental extraction in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, as they increase the risk of complications. To be cautious, extractions can wait until after delivery.
• No Immediate Symptoms: When you aren’t experiencing any immediate pain or discomfort, it’s easy to ignore getting an extraction. However, it is important to consider this decision more carefully, as waiting can have a few drawbacks. Wisdom teeth removal may be postponed depending on the situation, but waiting too long can lead to complications like gum disease or infection.

Dental Extractions By Dr. Muzny

To ensure the best possible outcome, you should discuss any extraction details with a trusted dentist. Addressing issues ahead of time can help you maintain optimal oral health and prevent further complications. We underestimate the damage of delaying a tooth extraction and how it can lead to other dental issues.

Don’t wait for issues to escalate; be proactive in your oral health. Come visit us at the offices of Carrie Muzny D.D.S.. We offer virtual consultations for busy clients and in-person appointments at our office in The Woodlands, helping clients from Benders Landing, Woodforest, Spring, and North Houston to the Conroe/Montgomery area.

When you address your potential extraction needs as soon as you have any discomfort or suspect dental problems, you prevent any infections from spreading and causing further harm. It might be easy to push off and delay an extraction, but your oral and overall health will thank you in the future if you take immediate action. Contact us today to schedule an online consultation or visit our office.