Signs of a Dental Emergency

What are the signs of a dental emergency? How do you know when those aches and pains are a toothache? As Houston dentists, we know that seemingly small problems quickly become toothaches when left untreated.

When you feel worried about your oral health, contact our Houston dental office as soon as possible. We are ready to examine and treat a broad spectrum of dental health issues. Below, we take a look at a few signs of a dental emergency to keep an eye out for.

Toothaches and Tooth Care

Toothaches come in a variety of shapes and sizes. With each, there’s a varying degree of pain that depends on multiple factors. When you know what’s a dental emergency and what isn’t, it helps to save you time and money.

When you don’t treat a dental issue, it grows into an emergency. Moreover, because your body functions holistically, it’s hard to pinpoint the specific cause of tooth pain in some cases. With a proper diagnosis from your dentist, you have a great way to get immediate pain relief.

Additionally, you have the potential to prevent a much bigger problem down the road.

What Are the Signs of a Dental Emergency?

Here are a few key signs of a dental emergency.

Loose Tooth

As an adult, a loose tooth is a sign of an emergency. After a certain point in life, you never experience loose teeth without a problem. At this point in life, your teeth are sturdy tools that help you eat and speak.

When you notice that your teeth feel a little loose, there are a few possible situations.

First, loose teeth indicate a tooth injury, which can be painful and require immediate medical attention. After a sports injury or car accident, it’s important to check on your teeth – even when they feel fine.

In some cases, jaw and nerve damage don’t cause immediate symptoms. However, they need treatment as soon as possible to prevent the condition worsening. It’s better to be safe than sorry in these cases.

Second, loose teeth point to localized infections. In order to understand what type of infection this is, it’s important to see a dentist who understands periodontal health. Gum disease and dental caries both have the potential to cause teeth to loosen.

With an oral exam and dental x-rays, we have a better chance to determine the cause of the infection. Early treatment helps to prevent spreading as well as tooth extraction.

Severe Toothache

Severe toothaches are also signs of a dental emergency. These point out that you need to visit your Houston dentist as soon as possible for immediate relief. With minor toothaches, there are some at-home options for relief. However, it’s essential to visit your dentist for an examination.

Oftentimes, the treatment for a toothache depends on the cause. That means you need a proper diagnosis for lasting relief.

Ideally, patients work proactively to prevent toothaches. However, we realize that it’s easy for things to slip your mind. When things get in the way of your oral health care, it might leave you with a toothache.

When the pain increases in severity or lingers after exposure to touch or temperatures, it’s another sign to visit your dentist.

Aching, Bleeding Gums

While it’s not necessarily normal to see your gums bleed when you floss, it does indicate gum disease or gingivitis. However, excessive, recurring bleeding is a warning sign. Are these signs of a dental emergency?

Not necessarily, but it’s a common sign of gum disease. When you maintain a solid oral care routine, it helps to manage and prevent these issues.

Unfortunately, when your gums ache and swell continuously, it’s important to receive a dental exam. Early treatment is key to maintaining your oral health. With untreated symptoms, gum disease eventually reaches a point of no return.

Some stages of gum disease leave patients unable to restore their teeth and gums to a healthy state.

Swollen Jaw

Oftentimes, swelling of the jaw is one of the clearest signs of a dental emergency. Typically, this points to an infection. When you have a swollen jaw, a bad taste in your mouth, trouble breathing, and a fever, it’s essential to seek out medical care immediately.

This points to a salivary gland infection, which is a bacterial infection caused by blockage in the salivary glands. Your saliva helps to break down foods and wash away bacteria. With a blockage, it can’t do its job.

Fortunately, this type of infection is not common. Still, it’s important to have your dentist examine your symptoms soon.

Dental Abscess

Any sign of a dental abscess should have you on the phone with your dentist ASAP. This is a very painful infection, often located in the root of a tooth. Typically, untreated cavities and severe gum disease lead to this problem.

However, trauma to the tooth, such as chipping, can cause it as well. Symptoms vary, but they commonly include the following.

Pus
Swollen glands
A bad taste in the mouth
Fever

These symptoms are common for any infection, so it’s crucial to seek treatment. Oftentimes, an abscessed tooth requires surgery to drain and treat the infection.

Consistent Canker Sore

Typically, this applies to any lesion in the mouth that doesn’t go away. Canker sores are common and happen to people multiple times in some cases.

When the sores linger or become infected, though, it’s time for concern. These are signs of a dental emergency that require treatment. When you have open sores for more than 2 weeks, call your doctor or dentist for an examination.

Constant Headaches

Headaches have so many causes. From stress to ice cream headaches, many of them aren’t signs of a dental emergency. However, chronic and recurring headaches mean something else is up.

The connection between the teeth and head mean that pain in the teeth at times cause a headache. Constant headaches might point to grinding teeth or bruxism. When patients grind their teeth in their sleep or throughout stressful days, it’s common to experience headaches.

If this sounds like you, it’s time to talk to your dentist so that they can look for signs of grinding. In some cases, the treatment is as simple as a night guard.

Numb Tooth/Teeth

When a toothache transitions to numbness, it’s a sign that the infection has spread to the root. A lack of feeling in a tooth is never a good thing. It might mean an abscess spread to the root, which requires root canal therapy.

That’s why it’s essential to pay attention to signs of a dental emergency. Oftentimes, they indicate a major dental issue.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a tough condition to diagnose. It comes from so many different sources that life throws in your path. However, an oral infection has the potential to cause consistent fatigue.

Oftentimes, feeling tired is a sign that your body is in healing mode. When it lasts a long time, it might be a good idea to talk to your dentist. If there’s a connection, you can start treatment. When there’s no connection, you can rule out oral infections.

Metal Taste

When you have old metal fillings, a metal taste is a sign that it is cracked or loose. If you notice this symptom, it’s essential to seek treatment. Open fillings leave your tooth vulnerable to new infections.

When you leave this to chance, it’s likely to feel a toothache, develop a cavity, or lead to infection. Have your dentist put in a new filling and clear out any infection.