Few things on the planet can cause the same level of unrelenting pain as a toothache. The problem with a toothache is you can often face a lengthy delay in seeing your dentist and you only have standard painkillers to keep you going. It is enough to make you consider pulling your own tooth out.

However, as any reputable dentist, such as this Sydney Park dentist, will tell you, pulling your tooth is rarely the best solution.

Surprisingly, it is uncommon for a dentist to be unable to save your tooth. Even the most severe abscesses will usually respond to antibiotics. The dentist will clean the inside of the tooth and use the antibiotics to ensure all infection is gone before adding a titanium peg to your jawbone and rebuilding your tooth around it.

In some cases, there is enough of your original tooth to allow them to simply craft a new tooth around the existing one.

Some good reasons why you should keep your tooth if at all possible

Strength: Natural teeth are stronger than artificial ones. Although an implant can last for years and looks fantastic, it can never match the strength of a natural tooth. If it is at all possible to keep your natural tooth you should do so. It will make chewing and other everyday activities easier.

Teeth Movement: If you extract a tooth then you will leave a gap. Impressively, your teeth can move in your jawbone. This is how braces work! Teeth do move slowly but, if you have a gap they will start to close the gap.

Unfortunately, while this may make your teeth look more even, the shifting teeth will change your bite and weaken the surrounding teeth.

This leads to a greater risk of tooth damage, decay, and pain, as well as the potential to lose other teeth.

Confidence Levels: You may think you are very confident but it is important not to underestimate the effect of having a tooth pulled. You will be left with a gap that will be noticeable.

This will make you think twice before smiling. If you don’t smile as easily you will become more self-conscious and your confidence levels will suffer. After all, it is hard to be the life and soul of any party if you are struggling to smile yourself.

Less Painful: Even if your tooth needs a root canal to save it, this is a surprisingly painless option and you will quickly return to normal activities. But, if you have your tooth pulled you will notice the pain for several days. You are also more likely to develop a dry mouth and even experience phantom pain.

Cheaper: It is cheaper to have a tooth pulled than it is to have a root canal or another type of dental treatment. However, if you have it pulled you will need to consider having an implant, which is considerably more expensive than tooth-saving surgery.

Don’t forget there is an emotional cost to having a tooth pulled, it is important to take this into consideration before making your final decision.