Sometimes they can be pulled, although in most cases they need to be cut out by a qualified surgeon. When the time comes to have your wisdom teeth extracted, you ll need to go to an oral surgeon and have a consultation first. During the consultation, you ll take a few x-rays that will let the surgeon know how bad your wisdom teeth are. You can help to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day. If you have gingivitis and you don t do something about it, it could lead to periodontal disease. Those who don t treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hygiene habits, will normally end up with periodontal disease. This bacteria will eventually spread from the root of the dead tooth into the tissue that is below and create a pocket of pus - the abscess. Gum disease is also a cause for a tooth becoming abscessed. Gum diseases causes the gums to pull back and away from teeth, leaving pockets behind. When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up. If you visit your dentist on a regular basis, he will check for cavities. Without visiting the dentist, it is impossible to tell whether or not you have a cavity. Most cavities develop below the gums, and you won t be able to see them. If the cavity exists in the tooth, you will be able to see it, as it will change the color of the affected area. Once the medicine has taken effect, you normally won t feel anything or remember it. Laughing gas and IV sedation can put your mind at ease, so you won t be uncomfortable during your surgery or extractions. Although dental pain is something that many fear, it isn t near as bad as they may think. Most of the fear stems from not knowing, or thinking that it will hurt more than it actually does. The materials used for fillings include porcelain, gold, composite resin, and amalgam. There is really no best type of filling, as several factors come into play. Your reaction to different material, the shape of the tooth, extent of repair, and where the filling is needed will be determining factors as to what material is used with your filling.