Oral Emergencies: When to Contact a Dentist Immediately

You don’t have to drop everything and run to the dentist for a cleaning or check-up. However, there are some instances when people do have legitimate oral emergencies that require immediate attention.

Whether it’s cost, time, or fear, people always seem to be coming up with excuses not to go visit their dentist. While putting off a cleaning for a couple of weeks won’t harm you, there are certain oral emergencies that require immediate attention. If you have significant damage, pain, or are experiencing persistent and unusual sensations in your mouth, it is better to pay a small fee now than a large sum later.

Chipping or losing a complete tooth should be treated as an emergency situation, unless it is already false. It is an even more urgent matter if you can find a complete tooth that has been knocked out as acting quickly and rushing to the dentist can help you save it. Chips will likely require cosmetic bonding and technically may be able to be put on hold if there is no exposed root. However, jagged edges can cut the mouth and tongue. Chips can also be fragile and more enamel can be lost at the area where it has been weakened. If you manage to find a tooth that has fallen out, it is important to submerge it in liquid, such as saltwater, milk, or even saliva in order to preserve it. If you can make it to the clinic in less than thirty minutes, there is a chance that it can be placed back. If it seems easier to simply get a false replacement, remember that they can cost thousands of dollars compared to the small fraction it would cost to fix your original.

Decay or damage to a tooth can cause an infection in the form of an abscess. It can spread from the gums all the way to the root and even underlying bone. The more severe the infection, the more painful it will be. Signs of an abscess vary and can be as mild as an unpleasant odor or a small increase in tooth sensitivity, but more noticeable symptoms include fever, swollen neck glands, swelling of the jaw, and a lingering bitter taste. If caught early, a dentist may be able to clear the infection by prescribing antibiotics and over the counter pain medication. More severe infections can require root canals and surgical draining of the abscess. When left to fester, an abscess may burst from pressure, kill the tooth, or spread to other parts of the body and cause much more serious and potentially deadly complications.

Pain on its own can constitute an emergency if it begins to interfere with your daily activities or is causing you significant distress. Many people leave a toothache in order to avoid the hassle of visiting a dentist, and sometimes it may fade over time. But, just because the pain diminishes doesn’t mean that you are “cured.” Aches are a sign of problems that demand urgent attention such as cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. If left untreated, the problem can spiral out of control quite easily. Unless you have particularly sensitive teeth (there are pastes that can help control pain), a toothache is not something to be ignored.

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