Signs You May Need Emergency Dental Services
Dental issues can cause pain and discomfort. But do you know when those dental problems cross the line into requiring emergency care? There are certain signs that indicate you need to seek emergency dental treatment from a dentist, such as Dr. Dan Drakulich, right away. Being able to recognize these signs can help you get the urgent care you need.
You Have an Unbearable Toothache
There’s tooth pain and then there’s wanting-to-rip-your-face-off levels of toothache. If over-the-counter pain medication does little to alleviate your agony, and it becomes impossible to find relief, head straight to an emergency dentist. Persistent and severe tooth pain often indicates an infection or abscess that needs immediate treatment to prevent the situation from worsening. Don’t ignore excruciating tooth pain or wait for it to hopefully fade. The sooner an emergency dentist can diagnose and treat the cause, the less likely you’ll incur serious dental damage.
Your Face is Swelling Up
A swollen face is never a good look. While a little toothache-related swelling around your gum line isn’t unusual, facial inflammation indicates a spreading infection that emergency dental treatment needs to contain. The problem likely stems from an infected tooth, gum disease, or abscess gone wild. But facial swelling can also result from cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection that invades the deeper facial tissues. Left untreated, the swelling continues to balloon until it affects your breathing, vision, and swallowing.
You Knocked Out a Tooth
Nothing elicits panic like watching a tooth go airborne after an accident or injury. But before you completely freak, know that emergency dental care can often successfully reimplant a knocked out adult tooth. The key is getting to an emergency dentist quickly after the traumatic tooth loss. Carefully handle the avulsed tooth by the crown instead of the root and rinse it if dirty, but don’t scrub it. Place the tooth in milk or saline solution if available. With speedy emergency dental treatment, reimplantation is possible within around 1 to 2 hours post-injury.
A Dental Crown or Filling Comes Out
Crowns and fillings don’t spontaneously eject themselves without provocation. Their sudden exit signals underlying problems needing prompt emergency dental assessment. The tooth beneath is vulnerable and unprotected. Waiting to address the issue risks tooth fracture or decay problems exacerbating, plus bite alignment problems developing. Even if the tooth currently feels fine, don’t delay emergency dental reattachment. The tooth’s structural integrity is now compromised.
Don’t Delay When Dental Emergencies Strike
Serious dental problems won’t right themselves without emergency intervention. By recognizing situations requiring urgent dental care, you can help halt acute issues from creating lasting oral health destruction and may just save your smile in the process. Stay vigilant and don’t sit around waiting, hoping severe dental symptoms somehow resolve themselves. Seek emergency attention promptly by calling an emergency dentist anytime distressing dental symptoms arise.
