Toothache is a sure sign of something gone wrong with your teeth and whether it is a dental emergency depends on the nature of pain and how intense it is. Usually, if the pain is bearable and does not cause much discomfort, people try out some home remedies to see if the pain subsides on its own. However, if the pain persists, it is better to visit a dentist to have a thorough oral examination and investigation to determine the root cause of the problem. It might or might not relate to a dental emergency which the dentist can confirm. Still, in case of an emergency, treatment can immediately provide relief and prevent the condition from deteriorating.
No one likes to rush to the dentist unless compelled, but you should know when you need professional help if you are facing a dental emergency. Toothaches can be of different types, and some toothaches might be just momentary that go away in a few days. Some others are quite painful and unbearable that can make you feel sick. Before you reach out for a clinic that handles emergency dental Birmingham AL, you must know some signs and symptoms that indicate that you have a dental emergency.
You Feel that You Have a Loose Tooth
Your teeth must sit firmly in place to allow proper functioning of your mouth like eating and speaking, leading to a healthy lifestyle. If you discover that your teeth are loosening, which can happen for several reasons, including injury, it can be quite painful. You must seek immediate dental care to seek remedy and restore the firmness to function normally. Consulting a dentist despite having sound teeth is a good move because you might not see any immediate symptoms if there is any nerve or jaw damage. Early detection will ensure timely treatment and cure.
You Have a Severe Toothache
As long as you have a bearable toothache, you can delay the visit to the dentist, but if the pain becomes severe, you have no option but to seek emergency dental treatment. Even if the pain is not much, do not delay the treatment because the situation might go out of hand. It is critical to understand the cause of the toothache to create a treatment plan that addresses the root causes, or else the treatment will be superficial, and the problem would come back again, perhaps in a bigger way. If your child suffers from a toothache, no matter how minor it might be, look for a pediatric dentist near me.
Bleeding and Aching Gums
If you have bleeding gums after flossing, it signifies some underlying problems that can lead to gingivitis or gum disease. However, if bleeding gums are recurring and excessive, it is a sure sign of gum disease that needs immediate dental intervention. It also indicates that you have been careless in taking good care of your teeth that caused bleeding gums which result from prolonged neglect of your oral health. However, if you have aching or swelling gums, only the dentists can tell the reason for it and initiate proper treatment. To keep your gums healthy and intact, you must detect gum disease early through periodic dental checkups.
Swollen Jaw
When you observe your jaw swelling, it means some severe infection. If you experience a bad taste in your mouth, have breathing trouble, or face difficulty swallowing along with a swollen jaw, seek emergency dental assistance. Mostly it happens due to infection of the salivary glands that block the glands. Due to obstruction in the flow of the salivary juices, the mouth fails to perform the job of breaking down food particles and washing away bacteria. Only a dentist can confirm if the symptoms relate to salivary gland infection.
You Have a Dental Abscess
If you experience a terrible toothache, it can be due to a dental abscess which should send you running to a dentist to seek relief. A dental abscess is a severe tooth infection at the tooth base that you cannot neglect and one of the most painful dental emergencies resulting from severe gum disease or untreated cavities. It can also happen if you have a chipped tooth that undergoes trauma. You might have a fever from a tooth abscess, swollen glands, and a foul taste in your mouth. Since similar symptoms relate to other dental problems, only dentists can detect the real cause and initiate the right treatment for curing the problem.
You Have a Numb Tooth
If a painful toothache culminates in the tooth’s numbness, it is a sign that the infection has set in deep into the root of the tooth. Perhaps an abscess reached the root of the tooth, which has affected the nerves and caused numbness.
Close monitoring of toothaches will help to decide if you need emergency dental care.
However, if the pain persists especially among kids, it is better to visit a dentist from Junior Smiles of Stafford to have a thorough oral examination and investigation to determine the root cause of the problem.
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