Most people are familiar with the importance of routine dental care to keep their teeth and gums healthy. However, sometimes dental emergencies arise that require immediate attention to relieve pain and prevent further complications.
Identifying the warning signs of a dental emergency is crucial in avoiding long-term damage. In this article, we’ll discuss six common signs that you should visit an emergency dentist immediately.
Toothache
A toothache is a common sign that you need emergency dental care. While a minor pain following a hard bite or gulping down an ice cold beverage is perfectly normal, you should see an emergency dentist for persistent and severe throbbing pain. This can indicate an infection, abscess, or another serious dental issue that needs urgent treatment. 
In addition to a toothache, you may also experience jaw pain, swelling of the gums, or a cracked or chipped tooth. While these aren’t as severe as a toothache, they require immediate attention in order to avoid long-term complications such as tooth, gum, or jaw damage.
Another sign of a dental emergency is if you are bleeding from your mouth or gums. If you experience bleeding from your gums, cheek, or tongue, you should schedule an appointment with an emergency dentist immediately to receive medical treatment and reduce the risk of more severe and costly dental issues.
Lastly, you should seek emergency dental care if you have a sudden, sharp, or jabbing pain in your tooth. This can be a sign of a root canal infection, fractured or cracked teeth, broken or worn fillings, exposed roots, or gum disease.
In addition to treating your dental emergency, emergency dentists can provide follow-up care and recommendations for maintaining good oral health. This can include avoiding foods and drinks that trigger discomfort or a painful flare-up, and regular brushing, flossing, and non-alcoholic mouth rinses. Emergency dentists are also able to prescribe medications, including antibiotics for infections and pain relievers for severe pain, in some cases. Emergency room doctors can also give you pain management medication, but they cannot perform restorative treatments such as fillings or crowns. Search here for denture repair in Houston.
Swelling
While it’s normal to experience occasional tooth pain after biting down on something hard or gulping a cold drink, persistent and severe throbbing that doesn’t subside is an emergency situation. This type of discomfort typically indicates a dental infection or abscess and needs immediate attention to alleviate the pain, save the tooth, and prevent complications.
Severe and persistent swelling in the mouth or face is another sign you need emergency dental care, especially when accompanied by fever, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing. These symptoms typically indicate that an infection has spread beyond the teeth to surrounding tissues, such as the gums and jawbone. Infections and abscesses can spread quickly, so it’s important to seek prompt emergency care to avoid complications.
Trauma that results in a broken or knocked-out tooth is also considered a dental emergency and requires immediate attention to prevent further damage and preserve the tooth. This includes sports-related injuries and car accidents, as well as any time a tooth is hit with a force that damages the inner layer of the tooth.
An emergency dentist has the skills, knowledge, and tools to treat these types of dental emergencies promptly, minimizing damage and preventing more costly and invasive procedures down the road. In addition to providing treatment, an emergency dentist can provide follow-up care and advice for preventing future problems. In most cases, seeing an emergency dentist is less expensive and more convenient than visiting the emergency room for non-dental ailments.
Excessive Bleeding
Severe, persistent bleeding in the mouth may indicate a serious dental problem and is a sign of a need for emergency dental care. Uncontrolled blood flow from a tooth or gums may lead to loss of the affected tooth, a fractured jaw or a life-threatening infection.
Excessive bleeding can also be a sign of a serious gum infection or an abscessed tooth. The presence of these pus-filled infections can cause severe pain, swelling and a high fever. An experienced emergency dentist can quickly evaluate and treat the underlying issue to prevent complications.
Other symptoms that are signs of a dental emergency include severe pain that lasts more than 24 hours, difficulty swallowing or a pimple-like development on your gums filled with pus. A foreign object stuck between teeth should be removed as soon as possible to avoid causing further damage. This can usually be done with dental floss, but sharp or spiky objects should never be used to remove an object stuck between your teeth.
While some dental concerns, such as a lost filling or chipped veneer, may be inconvenient, they are not necessarily emergencies and can often wait until the next day to be addressed. A dental emergency is any situation requiring immediate attention to alleviate pain, reduce swelling or save a tooth. While a knocked-out tooth is a true dental emergency, it is possible to save the affected tooth with prompt treatment by an emergency dentist. If left untreated, the impacted tooth may become infected and lead to costly complications, including the need for a dental implant or other restorations. Visiting an emergency dentist is typically much more cost-effective than seeking medical care in the hospital.
Discomfort
Many people experience tooth pain and headaches from time to time. However, it is important to understand when a toothache is truly an emergency and warrants immediate treatment. Toothaches that persist despite over-the-counter pain relievers or at-home remedies are a sign of serious underlying issues, such as an infection or dental abscess. In these cases, if you wait to seek emergency dental care, the condition can worsen and require more extensive and costly treatment in the future.
If you have a knocked-out tooth, this is also considered a dental emergency and requires immediate attention. An emergency dentist is able to reposition the tooth in its socket and increase the chances of saving the tooth. In addition, the dentist can help prevent further complications such as a fractured jaw or sinus infection from occurring in the future.
Another common sign of a dental emergency is if you have difficulty swallowing. This symptom may be caused by a broken or cracked tooth, which can lead to further issues that will impact your daily life.
Finally, if you have gums that are swollen or bleed when brushing and flossing, this could be a sign of early gingivitis and needs to be addressed immediately. Emergency dentists are able to provide patients with antibiotics and pain medications that can control the discomfort while addressing the issue.
Practicing good oral hygiene is the best way to avoid dental emergencies, but even those with excellent dental health can experience an issue that requires immediate care. By recognizing the signs of a dental emergency and seeking prompt treatment, you can avoid long-term complications and protect your overall oral health. To learn more about the emergency services offered at Highland Village Dental Studio, please call our office today!
Canker Sores
While practicing good oral hygiene helps you avoid dental emergencies, they can still happen for a variety of reasons. It’s important to know the signs of a dental emergency and when to call your dentist for help.
A painful mouth sore is a common issue that people encounter from time to time. However, you should not ignore it if the sore keeps getting bigger instead of smaller. Then it is a sign that you need to visit an emergency dentist immediately.
Canker sores are small ulcers that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth. They appear as small red or white spots on the inside of your cheeks, tongue, and gums. Typically, they have a round shape and are filled with whitish or yellowish fluid. Canker sores are not contagious and typically go away on their own within a few weeks.
Some people may get recurrent canker sores in their mouth, which could be a sign of underlying issues like a nutritional deficiency or chronic disease that affects your immune system. It is also possible that you are using a toothbrush or mouthwash with sodium lauryl sulfate that can trigger the condition.
Another sign that you need to see a dentist right away is if you are experiencing numbness in your mouth. This means that the infection has spread and is affecting the roots of your teeth. A dentist can drain the abscess, which will eliminate the pain and numbness in your gums. If you don’t visit a dentist right away, the condition will likely continue to worsen and could damage your teeth. It is also a risk for you to try to remove the abscess yourself, as you might make it worse and end up needing a root canal treatment in the future.
