5 Signs You Need Emergency Dentistry

You may require emergency dentistry services if you experience severe discomfort, severe bleeding, tooth damage, swollen gums, or extreme tooth sensitivity. If one or more of these symptoms exist, you should contact a local dentist offering emergency services to find the appropriate action to take.

What Signs Indicate a Need for Emergency Dentistry Services?

The following reviews the most common signs that indicate a dental emergency, and the patient should seek emergency dental services.

Severe discomfort

Severe mouth discomfort is always a concern. Whether the pain is from oral trauma (i.e., a blow to the face), an infection in the mouth, or another cause, a prompt visit to the emergency dentist is most likely in order if the pain becomes intolerable or exists along with other oral health concerns. If left untreated, the discomfort is likely only to worsen, which could increase the risk of developing other oral health concerns.

Severe bleeding

Severe bleeding that results from a blow to the mouth could increase the risk of other concerns such as an infection, gum complications, and the loss of teeth. If the injury is not life-threatening and there is not a substantial amount of blood loss, then an emergency dentist may be able to help. However, severe bleeding that results from a potentially life-threatening concern (i.e., a serious mouth injury that results from a car accident) requires a trip to the emergency room.

A damaged tooth (knocked out or knocked loose)

A knocked-out tooth is a sign of a dental emergency as well. A tooth that is knocked loose could also be a sign of dental trouble, especially if there are other symptoms such as severe swelling and discomfort. For example, suppose something knocks a tooth out of the mouth. In that case, the emergency dentist may be able to reposition the tooth in the socket and prevent the need for tooth replacement if the patient visits right away and properly preserves the tooth.

Swollen gums

Swollen gums could be an indicator of several different oral health concerns. Notably, it could indicate that the patient has an oral infection. An oral infection, and specifically a tooth infection, could be a serious and immediate concern as the infection has the potential to spread to other areas of the mouth and body. In addition, an untreated tooth infection could lead to the loss of the tooth and a dental abscess, which could require more invasive treatment to address.

Extreme tooth sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity is a sign of severe tooth decay, gum complications, or tooth infection. Therefore, it is important to visit the dentist urgently to ensure the issue does not worsen, linger, or lead to more serious oral health concerns.