Signs You Need Emergency Dental Help
Like every other organ, your teeth require the utmost care and hygiene in order to stay healthy. While dental care may seem like the last thing to consider, you must pay attention to the emergency signs related to your dental health. It could be anything, ranging from explained and consistent toothache and broken tooth to severe bleeding from gums or gingivitis.
When it comes to seeking adequate emergency care, you must be aware of the emergency conditions of dentistry first. Here are the common dental emergencies that might require an urgent dental consultation.
1. Have you been overlooking a toothache for long?
Did you know that a simple toothache may land you in a dental emergency when overlooked for a long duration? You may experience toothache due to multiple causes, and an emergency dental condition is one of them. It usually occurs as a result of extensive cavities, dental fractures, or even due to the collection of pus inside your gums. Moreover, uncontrollable toothache may indicate a chronic infection or damage to your teeth.
When you fail to seek appropriate care, the toothache may worsen due to the spread of infection to adjacent areas of your oral cavity. This may result in generalized sepsis or a fracture of your temporomandibular joint when left untreated. Consequently, it’s advisable to gargle with some lukewarm water or take painkillers to alleviate the excruciating pain. If you’re still in a fix, Dr. Navleen Kaur Thind, DDS, an emergency dentist at Academy Dental, can assist you if you happen to reside in Newark, Hamilton, East Orange, Robbinsville, Elizabeth, Trenton, New Jersey, and Bordentown for all emergency dental treatments.
2. What to do with a broken tooth?
A knocked-out or broken tooth is an emergency condition resulting from accidental falls, injuries during sports, or when you chew on something hard. It is one of the most common dental emergencies and can cause extreme pain in the affected tooth. This is because of the nerve damage supplying that particular tooth, making it difficult to chew or even gulp down anything.
Moreover, you may be able to treat the broken tooth if you’re able to seek emergency treatment in less than an hour. Try placing the tooth back in the socket if possible. Also, make sure to avoid touching the nerve roots as it can increase the intensity of pain.
You might want to store the broken tooth in a milk jar to keep it viable. Along with this, apply warm presses over the broken socket to soothe the pain until you seek emergency dental care. Such measures can help tackle the toothache and make you feel better up to a great extent.
3. Are your gums bleeding?
Most people experience gingival or gum bleeding after an accident or traumatic event. But did you know that gum bleeding can result from other health conditions unrelated to dental health as well? Your gums are prone to bleeding due to falls, injuries, tooth extraction, or even associated gum diseases. Moreover, severe, uncontrollable bleeding can be a sign of some blood clotting disorder and related thrombocytopenia as well.
It’s always advisable to seek emergency dental care whenever you encounter any gum bleeding. However, initial measures like applying a gauze piece or cotton swab to the affected region should be tried out. This may help in clot formation and prevent further bleeding.
If the bleeding doesn’t stop even after 10-15 minutes, get an expert consultation immediately. You must avoid any measure that could lead to the dislodgement of the clot formed around the affected region. Further, don’t ignore any bleeding in and around your oral cavity, and seek immediate care whenever such an incident occurs. This may facilitate a prompt investigation and ensure appropriate management of the dental condition.
4. Is there inflammation inside the oral cavity?
Another common dental condition you often experience is inflammation or abscess formation inside your oral cavity. Swelling or pus formation may occur due to a significant multiplication of bacteria or other microbes inside your mouth. Also, it may be secondary to gum disease, inflamed oral cavity, or impacted tooth. Such dental issues can affect your quality of life and cause excruciating pain, discomfort, or redness around the affected region.
Experts reveal that an untreated inflammation may spread the infection to other parts of the oral cavity and cause severe disease. It can spread to form Ludwig’s angina, sepsis, or even cellulitis in the long run.
In such cases, you must look for a reliable emergency dentist nearby and book a consultation. Your dentist may drain the pus collected in the cracks and crevices of your oral cavity or prescribe the necessary antibiotics. Before seeking expert dental care, you could rinse your mouth with some saltwater or gargle using an antimicrobial solution. Not only will it intensify the healing process, but it also provides relief from the pain and swelling.
Bottom Line
Dental care is of utmost importance and must be a part of your daily self-care regime. However, some dental emergencies call for expert consultation and may turn fatal if overlooked. Some emergencies like persistent toothache, gingivitis, or severe bleeding gums call for emergency care. In such cases, you need to consult an emergency dentist to get appropriate care and manage the condition without fail. Make sure to observe the dangerous signs related to your oral health and consult a dentist right away.
