5 Signs You Need Emergency Dental Care

Dental emergencies happen when you least expect them, like any other health-related emergency. Knowing when to call the office for emergency dental treatment is the key to finding relief for painful symptoms and preventing your problem from worsening.

Dr Taylor’s Family Dental Center is a leading emergency dental care practice open 7 days a week. The skilled providesr are focused on helping patients find quick relief while avoiding potential complications. Here, learn about five dental problems that require an emergency visit.

1. Severe tooth pain

Toothaches are a common dental problem — most of us have at least one cavity at some point. While it’s tempting to ignore a toothache, our team should evaluate it, even if it’s mild or comes and goes.

Severe toothaches can be serious, sometimes indicating an infection or abscess that can spread and cause complications. Cracked teeth and deep infections inside your tooth are other possible causes.

If you have severe or throbbing tooth pain, pain that’s worse when you bite, or pain that intensifies when the tooth gets exposed to hot or cold temperatures, it’s an emergency that needs to be taken care of as quickly as possible. Tooth pain accompanied by fever, a sour taste, or a change in your bite pattern also needs emergency care.

2. Broken (or knocked-out) tooth

Broken teeth can happen for different reasons, including dental trauma from sports, falls, or other accidents. Even a seemingly minor break can quickly lead to an increased risk of infection, in addition to altering your bite and causing considerable pain. Emergency care relieves discomfort and avoids tooth loss or deep infections.

The same is true when a tooth gets completely knocked out. In that instance, carefully rinse the tooth without touching the tooth root and place it in a container of milk, saliva, or salt water. Call the office immediately — rapid treatment may help save the tooth and get it replanted.

3. Jaw or gum swelling

Swelling in your gums, cheek, or jaw area is another indication that emergency dental care is needed. Swelling is often associated with deep infections that have already begun to spread. Without treatment, bacteria can spread to other parts of your body through your bloodstream, resulting in life-threatening consequences.

Some swelling can be due to allergic reactions or even tumors. Any type of swelling is abnormal and always needs to be evaluated as soon as possible.

4. Gum laceration

Gums can bleed for different reasons. Some people have bleeding after they brush or floss, an indicator of gum disease. In this instance, you need to come in for a cleaning and evaluation, but it’s not necessarily an emergency.

On the other hand, bleeding caused by a deep cut or laceration does require emergency treatment, as does bleeding associated with pain, swelling, or fever. Bleeding that doesn’t resolve within 10-15 minutes of applying pressure also requires emergency care.

5. Damaged or missing restoration

Fillings, crowns, and bridges help restore our smiles and protect our teeth following decay or other tooth damage. When one of these restorations is damaged or falls out, it immediately exposes your tooth to further damage from invading bacteria — and it can cause a lot of pain.

If you damage or lose a filling or other restoration, it’s a reason to seek emergency dental care. In the meantime, you can apply dental wax or softened sugarless gum to the area to reduce exposure and take over-the-counter medicine to help relieve discomfort until your appointment. 

Do not put off seeking care

Generally speaking, any dental condition that causes pain, swelling, or any other unusual symptom is a reason to call our office to see if emergency care is warranted, even if your symptom seems relatively minor. Remember — most major problems start as minor issues.

To learn more about our emergency dental care services, call 248-681-8100 or request an appointment online at Dr. Taylor’s Family Dental Center in Waterford, Michigan, today.