You’re lying in bed and suddenly you wake up to the unbearable pain of a toothache. But it’s the middle of the night! Who do you call? What do you do? You look up your dentist’s hours and they aren’t in the office until morning, or worse if it’s a weekend and it looks like you’ll have to wait until Monday. Don’t fret. Luckily, this is exactly what an emergency dentist is for!
Dental emergencies happen when you least expect them and when you are the least prepared. Most people can recall an instance in which they needed an emergency dentist but had a difficult time find one after normal business hours. The emergency dentists at Pure Dental Spa are available to cure your urgent dental needs at any given time and we guarantee we’ll be able to alleviate your dental pain!
A couple common dental emergencies that people encounter are dental infections and abscessed teeth. An abscessed tooth is an infection in the root of the tooth and normally causes excruciating pain. Usually this is the result of tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma.
Risk Factors
Tooth decay or trauma are the biggest risk factors related abscessed teeth or dental infections. To avoid tooth decay, we recommend that you practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day and seeing a dentist regularly. You should try to maintain good nutrition and stay away from habits like using tobacco products, drinking alcohol and other sugary substances. To avoid trauma, consider wearing a mouth guard while playing contact sports or at night if you find yourself grinding your teeth.
Symptoms
There are various symptoms that may indicate an infection or abscessed tooth. You may be experiencing shooting pains in on a particular tooth, or inversely, a severe continuous ache. There may be sensitivity of the tooth to hot or cold temperatures as well as pain when chewing or biting. Redness or swelling of the gums are signs of gum disease that may correlate with an abscessed tooth or infection. Other symptoms include foul breath, bitter taste, swollen neck glands, or swollen jaw. Fever and a general sick feeling may also be indicative of an abscessed tooth or infection.
Treatment
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ll want to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. The dentist will perform an emergency exam which can include an ocular assessment and an x-ray to determine the severity of the issue. There are a few different treatments routes an emergency dentist might take with an abscessed tooth or dental infection. You may be prescribed antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the damage to the tooth. They may also need to perform a root canal procedure. Whichever route your emergency dentist recommends, you’ll want to see it all the way through. Partial treatment will not fix the underlying problem.
Don’t give abscessed teeth or dental infections the opportunity to progress. Visit an emergency dentist today!