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How To Identify a Dental Emergency

by | Dental Emergency

How To Identify a Dental Emergency

How are you supposed to know if your tooth pain is considered an emergency?  There are so many different root causes for tooth pain that it can be difficult to decipher what requires immediate attention and what can be classified as ‘less urgent’.

If the pain and discomfort you are experiencing prevents you from sleeping, eating or generally functioning it may be considered an emergency dental situation. It is important that some sort of intervention takes place soon after the condition arises so as to avoid further complications.

Leaving a dental emergency unattended can result in a very expensive dental bill later, or it could even result in tooth loss. That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of the most common dental emergencies that you should be aware of.

Gum infection:

Also called pericoronitis when an infectious process is limited to the soft tissues but usually involves both the gums and bone surrounding these teeth.  This condition can spread rapidly if not treated early on. Immediate intervention will help ensure that your tooth doesn’t slip from its perch and fall into your mouth!

Root problems:

Gum disease is one major cause for sensitive or painful gum tissue around a tooth root. If you experience swelling, redness or other signs of inflammation around a particular tooth, it’s time to book an appointment at Trillium Dental Centre. Sometimes a root of a healthy-looking tooth can become exposed or inflamed due to gum disease, which will make the root sensitive during biting and chewing. This is also something that should be seen as soon as possible.

Tooth Loss:

If you are experiencing severe pain and discomfort around one specific tooth or several teeth then this could be a sign that your teeth are dying/losing their roots. It is important that you contact an Emergency Dentist right away so they can examine your mouth and determine what steps need to be taken next. A missing tooth can result in jawbone shrinkage over time as well as displacement of neighbouring teeth from the now unbalanced bite force placed on them. Trillium Dental Centre is a Waterloo-based dental clinic that offers same-day emergency appointments and accepts most dental insurance plans.

How do I know if tooth pain is an Emergency?

Primary teeth are more prone to dental emergencies because they are easy to lose. If you have a toothache in a permanent tooth, it is likely that the cause is not an emergency. However, if there is severe pain in an upper front or back permanent tooth along with swelling and sensitivity to hot or cold foods chances are the tooth could be knocked out of place. This would require you to contact your dentist immediately as the best way to save the tooth will involve getting urgent care from your Emergency Dentist.

Is it possible that I’m experiencing some of the above-mentioned symptoms when actually nothing’s wrong? Yes, this can definitely happen occasionally but it’s always best to err on the side of caution if you are in pain.

An Emergency Dentist can diagnose your problem and give you a prognosis as to how urgent it is with a simple phone call, allowing you to decide whether or not to come into our office for assistance on any given day.

What Are Common Emergency Dental Situations?

There are two types of dental emergencies that might require urgent care from your Emergency Dentist in Waterloo:

  1. Injuries/Accidents – traumatic injuries that affect the teeth and gums generally occur due to accidents where objects (such as baseballs or footballs) fly toward you at high speed suddenly without any warning. You don’t have time to dodge them while playing sports or watching TV so you end up with a toothache.
  2. Abscess – an abscess is caused by a soft tissue infection in the mouth. It can be painful and will require immediate treatment from Emergency Dentists in Waterloo so you do not develop a more severe infection.

The most common reasons for dental emergencies are to provide urgent care when someone has lost their filling(s) or crown(s). Whenever an individual loses their crown, our Emergency Dentists in Waterloo advise that it is best to get it replaced as quickly as possible because the hole left by the missing artificial tooth contains abrasive particles that cause enamel erosion around the area of loss, resulting once again in pain and discomfort for several days.

What Can I Do To Get Emergency Dental Treatment?

If you are suffering from a dental emergency due to an injury or other medical condition, Trillium Dental Centre can provide the vital care you need. We offer top quality Emergency Dental Services at very affordable rates so everyone has access to Emergency dental care.

If you are in pain or if you need to speak to somebody about a possible dental emergency, please call us immediately at (519) 746-4000 or book an appointment online now to get yourself in for an assessment right away.