Totally agree with trusting your gut. I learned this the hard way too—had a root canal done, felt a weird pressure afterward, and thought "eh, probably normal healing stuff." Fast forward a couple months, turns out there was an infection brewing quietly underneath. Fun times, right?
Now I have a simple rule: if something feels off after dental work, I give it about a week (unless it's super painful, obviously). If it doesn't improve or gets worse, back to the dentist I go. Sure, my dentist probably thinks I'm paranoid at this point, but hey...I'd rather be the overly cautious patient than the one who ends up needing emergency work later. Plus, dentists have seen way weirder stuff than someone coming in for a quick check-up because their tooth feels "funny." Trust me on that one.
You're definitely not paranoid—just proactive. Dental infections can be sneaky, and sometimes symptoms are subtle enough to brush off at first. Your one-week rule is actually pretty solid advice. Usually, minor discomfort or sensitivity after dental work should gradually fade within a few days to a week. If it sticks around or gets worse, that's your body's way of saying something's up.
I had a similar experience after getting a filling replaced. Felt a dull ache that lingered longer than usual, but I kept thinking it'd settle down eventually. Nope...turned out the filling wasn't seated properly, and bacteria had started creeping in underneath. Lesson learned: better safe than sorry.
Dentists honestly appreciate patients who pay attention to their symptoms. It makes their job easier when issues are caught early rather than dealing with bigger problems down the line. Keep trusting your instincts—your teeth (and wallet) will thank you later.
"Usually, minor discomfort or sensitivity after dental work should gradually fade within a few days to a week."
Wish I'd known this sooner... I used to be the type who'd wait forever before going back, thinking I was just being overly cautious. Then one time, after getting a crown, I felt this weird pressure and mild ache that just wouldn't quit. Kept telling myself it was normal healing stuff, but after almost two weeks I finally caved and went back. Turns out there was inflammation building up underneath because the crown wasn't fitting quite right.
Now I'm way more cautious—probably too cautious—but honestly, I'd rather annoy my dentist than risk something worse happening. If something feels off past that one-week mark, it's worth getting checked out. Dental issues can escalate fast, and the anxiety of waiting around wondering if it's serious is just not worth it for me anymore.
I totally get this. Had my first filling done recently and was super anxious about every little ache afterward. Kept googling symptoms (bad idea, btw...) and convinced myself something was wrong. After about 10 days of mild but persistent sensitivity, I finally went back. Dentist said everything looked fine, but adjusted the filling slightly anyway. Felt better almost immediately. Like you said:
"If something feels off past that one-week mark, it's worth getting checked out."
Better safe than sorry, especially with teeth.
Been there with my kiddo—after his first filling, he kept complaining about sensitivity when drinking cold stuff. I waited about a week, thinking it was normal, but when it didn't ease up, we went back. Dentist said sometimes fillings just need minor tweaks to settle comfortably. Quick adjustment and he was back to slurping ice cream pain-free...lesson learned: trust your gut, not Dr. Google.
