Hi,
A few nights ago I went out with some of my girlfriends to the club. While there, I ended up getting kicked in the face by a drunk guy trying to show me his karate moves. End result, I cracked my tooth in the front. I’m mortified to tell my dentist this. I’m a bit older so this whole thing just seems juvenile, embarrassing, and I’d like to forget the whole thing ever happened. Will dentist have to know exactly what happened in order to fix my tooth?
-Ms. X
Dear Ms. X,
Your dentist will need to know what happened in order to know what kind of damage or injury has been done to your mouth. You might think it was a clear-cut “kick to the face,” but some other damage may have been done. Without the dentist investigating events, she or he won’t know what to look for. That being said, you won’t have to tell your dentist exactly what happened. Just admit that something embarrassing happened and you’d rather not get into all the details. That should be enough to give the dentist the answers he or she needs without exposing everything that took place that night.
Another option for you is to seek out an emergency dentist. This is a good option for a couple of reasons. One, if you are experiencing pain or swelling you shouldn’t wait to be seen. There could be damage there that needs immediate attention to prevent anything from getting worse. You don’t want to wind up losing a tooth that could have been saved if you’d been seen right away. And the second reason going to an emergency dentist may be a good option for you is you may feel freer to talk about what happened to you in detail. Because he/she isn’t your regular dentist, he or she doesn’t know you and will likely never see you again. You can spare yourself any embarrassment of having to tell people who know you what happened, at the same time you’re able to divulge details and hopefully make it easier to get the dental care you need.
This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS.