It is a situation that nobody ever wants to have happened to them. Waking up in the middle of the night with swelling to the jaw and face, or a throbbing and persistent discomfort under one of their teeth.
In this situation, most people will take the logical step to contact an emergency dental team. But there is still a myth floating around that dental emergencies have to be accompanied by discomfort, when in actuality this is not the case. It just happens to be that discomfort is a very good motivator for getting people to visit an emergency dental team!
For most people, if they woke up and found that one of their fillings had fallen out, they would not think to contact an emergency dental team and would simply leave it. But this is as much of a dental emergency as an abscess.
In this brief article, you will be introduced to 5 reasons why you should contact an emergency dentist Ryde, to help you determine if what you may be experiencing is indeed a dental emergency.
Discomfort
Of course, at the top of the list is discomfort. If you have a persistent discomfort that feels like bruising, burning or sensitivity with one of your teeth, you need to seek urgent care. This can be indicative of several things from a cavity to an abscess, an impacted tooth or even a lost filling. But, irrespective of the cause, if you have dental discomfort that is driving you to distraction and preventing you from sleeping, then this needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Swelling
Swelling to the face, under the chin, the jaw or anywhere in the mouth that has appeared suddenly or gradually needs to be treated as a dental emergency. This is because swelling of this kind can be the first indicator of a dental abscess or indeed an impacted tooth, both of which will require urgent dental care.
Lost filling or crown
Having a lost filling or crown is a common reason why people visit emergency dental teams. But this is usually because it is accompanied by discomfort. Even if you have lost a filling or crown and are not experiencing any discomfort in the area, you still need to seek emergency dental care to have the restorative refitted, to prevent decay from setting in or a potential abscess from forming.
Recurring ulcers
Many people have experienced ulcers in their mouth at one time or another, usually due to over-diligent brushing, stress or illness. But if you have oral ulcers that keep recurring in the same part of your mouth, look yellow or are bleeding, this can be indicative of oral cancer.
Cracks or chips
Chips and cracks to the enamel on the teeth are not uncommon, especially if you play contact sports. But much like a lost filling or crown, this exposes the under part of the tooth to the bacteria in the mouth, which can, if left untreated, cause a cavity. So, any chips or cracks that you have will need to be treated promptly.
DISCLAIMER OFFSITE
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
