Although there is really no way to prevent a dry socket, you can help to reduce the risk by following your after surgery directions. Even though you may be following the directly precisely, you could still end up with a dry socket. They are known as a quirk of nature, and will make you feel like you are on your death bed - although you really aren t. It normally doesn t affect the nerves, although as a result of the tooth area being lost, you may need to have a root canal to clean out the tooth before having a crown put on it. The seriousness of this fracture depends on how far it has went beyond the gum line. If it has made it s way deep into the gum line, you may not be able to save the tooth. Something that normally doesn t hurt, can get a lot worse simply by thinking in your mind that it will be painful. In most cases, the numbing shots will work very well with one or two applications. If you are already in pain when you visit the dentist, the shots will put your mind at ease and stop the pain almost immediately. Many years ago, doctors believed that worms were the reason for tooth decay. They also believed that there were many ways to kill the worms, including rinsing the mouth in one s own urine both day and night. Although this is sick to say the least, this remedy was discarded in 1728, proven to be non effective and replaced by other more suitable treatment. Dentists always look to save teeth, as they don t like to remove a tooth unless they absolutely have to. If the tooth has become abscessed, the dentist will put you on antibiotics such as penicillin until the infection has subsided enough to remove the tooth. Throughout our lives, most of us will experience the pain and agony of a toothache at some point. Getting Over Your Fear Of The Dentist Dental anxiety or fearing the dentist is a problem that many people have, and something that is somewhat difficult to overcome. This fear normally prevents rational people from visiting the dentist and maintaining the health of their teeth. The key to keeping your teeth healthy is to prevent problems before they start.