It can be stressful to wonder, “Do I have a dental emergency?” When suffering from an abscessed tooth, for example, you may worry about getting a quick dental appointment. Luckily, practices like Lovett Dental Northside provide emergency dental care. When you have a serious issue, call for an appointment as soon as possible or walk-in. Seeing a dentist quickly will help you relieve your pain and prevent an existing condition from worsening.
Lost Crowns and Fillings and Broken Teeth
A lost dental crown or filling is a common dental emergency. When a filling or crown comes out, the space it leaves exposes your tooth. This may cause pain or make it difficult to enjoy your meals.
When you go to a dental appointment after a crown comes loose, bring the crown with you, if possible. Sometimes people will lose a crown, or it will break in half. But if the crown is in good condition, the dental staff may clean it and attempt to reattach it.
If you break a tooth, try to save the pieces and take them to your dental appointment. Store the pieces in a small container of milk, and add a pinch of salt.
‘My Tooth Came Out. Do I Have a Dental Emergency?’
Some people suffer a knocked-out tooth during an accident or while playing sports. If this happens to you, see your dentist immediately. In some cases, the dentist may be able to reattach the tooth if you get to the office within an hour or two. If you can, take the pieces of the knocked-out tooth with you.
The dentist typically will not reattach the tooth for young children because it isn’t a permanent one. In adults, if the dentist cannot reattach the tooth, they can help the patient get a bridge, crown, or dental implant.
Don’t Delay If You Have an Abscess
An abscessed tooth signals an infection that could be serious. When you have an abscess, it will appear as a small pocket of pus. The pus pocket will form in your gums around the infected tooth. One sign of an abscessed tooth is throbbing pain in the gums and tooth. Fever, swelling, or tenderness in the tooth, neck, and jaw area are signs, too.
People with abscesses will often have difficulty chewing. Cold and hot foods especially may cause discomfort. The toothache will radiate to the ear, jawbone, or neck. An abscess might also cause some pain or difficulty when swallowing or breathing. When the pus pocket ruptures, you may taste a salty flavor, and others may notice a strong odor coming from your mouth.
See your dentist immediately if you show any of the above signs of an abscess to prevent it from worsening and spreading to other areas of your body. If you have swelling or pain in your face and cannot get to a dentist, then go to a hospital emergency room. You should also seek emergency care anytime you’re struggling to breathe or swallow.
Things to Do Before You See the Dentist
When you have a toothache, apply an ice pack or cold compress to your mouth or face to numb the pain. You could also use clove oil to help relieve your discomfort. To help control oral bleeding and pain, you should rinse with warm water to clean your mouth. Then, use gauze to apply firm pressure to the tooth to stop the bleeding.
Once you arrive at our office, you will receive a number of different services to help you treat your emergency. Some of the services we offer include:
No one should have to tolerate a severe toothache. At Lovett Dental Northside, we can make a same-day appointment to treat your dental emergency. We welcome walk-ins, too. Contact us at 713-691-5551 to get the help you need.
