Are you experiencing dental pain or discomfort and wondering whether you need to schedule an emergency dental appointment with a dentist? Dental emergencies can happen at any time, and it is vital to understand when you should consult with a dentist because, when left unchecked, they could become more severe and costly to treat.

Many dental issues are not immediately severe but can become serious if left untreated. However, other dental issues could require immediate medical attention from a qualified dentist. Understanding when to schedule a same-day appointment with your dentist can greatly impact your oral health and general well-being.

What is a Dental Emergency?

As the name implies, a dental emergency is any dental issue that necessitates an immediate appointment with a dentist. That means, even if you had your biannual appointment recently, a dental emergency could require you to schedule an appointment with a dentist before six months are over.

It is worth noting that a dental emergency does not have to be an issue affecting your teeth only. If you have any situation involving your mouth or gums that requires immediate care to stop bleeding, bothersome pain, or prevent further damage, scheduling a same-day appointment with your dentist is advisable.

For many dental emergencies, like a knocked-out or chipped tooth, a dentist can treat it in his/her clinic. However, for a severe injury like a broken facial bone, going directly to the emergency room is advisable.

Understanding When to Seek Urgent Dental Care

Below are warning signs that should tell you it is time to consult with a dentist for urgent dental care:

Throbbing or  Severe Toothache

A severe toothache is undoubtedly one of the most prevalent reasons many seek urgent dental care. A toothache could occur for various reasons, from a popcorn kernel stuck in your gums to a fractured tooth caused by bacterial infection

While you can alleviate mild toothaches at home using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, a severe or throbbing toothache could indicate a more serious dental issue. In that case, scheduling a same-day dental appointment with a dentist could help find the root cause of your problem. Your dentist can use digital imaging techniques like X-rays to help determine the cause of your severe toothache.

Some of the common causes of severe and prolonged toothache include:

  • Periodontal disease or gum disease
  • Impacted wisdom teeth
  • Dental cavities

 

Once your dentist determines the cause of your toothache and its severity level, he/she will know the appropriate remedy.

Loose or Knocked-Out Tooth

If you have a loose or knocked-out tooth, scheduling a same-day dental appointment with your dentist is vital. While it is normal and natural for children to have a non-traumatic loose tooth, adults' teeth should not wiggle. Accidents are the leading causes of loose or knocked-out teeth for most adults.

Unfortunately, accidents could occur to anyone, sometimes involving knocking a tooth loose or out completely. Some of the common causes of loose or knocked-out teeth among adults include the following:

  • Falls
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Vehicle accidents
  • Injuries from engaging in contact sports, like rugby and hockey
  • Assault

Regardless of the cause of the knocked-out tooth, seeking urgent dental care without delay is crucial. The sooner you consult with a dentist after experiencing a knocked-out tooth, the higher the chances of saving it. Here is what to do immediately after experiencing a knocked-out tooth to increase your chances of saving it:

  • Handle your knocked-out tooth by the crown (the white part that sits above the gumline) without touching its roots
  • Rinse the tooth gently with clean water and try fixing it back in its socket. If that is impossible, you should place the tooth back in the socket if possible, or store it in milk or between your cheek and gums

If your emergency dentist cannot replace the tooth due to severe infection in its pulp or damaged roots, he/she could recommend any of the following treatments:

  • A dental implant
  • A dental bridge
  • Partial denture

Uncontrollable or Severe Bleeding of Gums

While bleeding gums could sometimes be due to a minor issue like your brushing your teeth aggressively, severe or uncontrollable gum bleeding could indicate a serious condition, such as advanced periodontal disease or systemic illness. For example, bleeding gums could indicate gum disease or a more severe issue.

If you want to maintain the health of your gums and prevent the condition from worsening, you should make a same-day dental appointment with your dentist. Like most oral health issues, gum disease grows worse with time when left unchecked and could lead to the loss of a tooth. Depending on the specific stage of your gum disease, your dentist could recommend deep cleaning or surgery.

A surgical procedure like pocket reduction surgery, bone graft, or flap surgery could be necessary if you have moderate or advanced gum disease.

Infected or Abscessed Tooth

An infected or abscessed tooth could also necessitate a same-day dental appointment. If you have a swelling on your jaw or face, you should make an urgent appointment with your dentist because that is one sign of a dental abscess. An abscess is a painful and bothersome infection of the tooth.

Untreated cavities or advanced gum disease are the primary causes of dental abscesses. Another possible cause of a dental abscess is a severe physical trauma or injury to the mouth area, including cracking or chipping a tooth. Some of the common symptoms of dental abscess include the following:

  • Swollen glands
  • Pus
  • Bad breath
  • Fever

Once you make a same-day dental appointment with your dentist after detecting the above signs, he/she can help identify the cause of the abscess and offer the necessary treatment. The dentist often recommends minor surgery to drain out the pus and treat the infected tooth roots.

Cracked or Chipped Tooth

While chipped or cracked teeth are more common in children, adults can also experience chipped or cracked teeth. Like a knocked-out tooth, your teeth could chip or crack when you experience trauma around your mouth, either from a fall, an auto accident, or contact sports. Other causes of chipped or cracked teeth include:

  • Aging
  • Biting hard foods, like nuts
  • Teeth grinding (bruxism)
  • Dental treatment, like root canal therapy

If you have a chipped or cracked tooth, pick up the chipped piece and rinse it with warm water before you seek urgent dental care from a reliable dentist. When left untreated for a prolonged period, a cracked tooth could cause infection of the tooth roots and bothersome pain if the crack has extended to the pulp section of the tooth.

Depending on the severity of the crack, your dentist could recommend any of the following treatments:

  • Dental bonding
  • Dental crown
  • Dental contouring
  • Root canal therapy
  • Dental veneers
  • Tooth extraction

Clicking Jaws or Jaw Pain

If your jaws are locked or you are experiencing persistent clicking sounds or pain whenever you close or open your mouth, that could be a sign of TMD (temporomandibular joint) disorder, injury, or infection. These oral health conditions could significantly affect your quality of life.

TMJ can cause chronic pain and disrupt your ability to chew food or speak. Therefore, scheduling a same-day dental appointment with your dentist immediately after you experience any symptom of this condition is crucial. A same-day dental appointment can help alleviate the pain and address the underlying reason for the condition, preventing more critical symptoms and other oral health complications.

Lost or Cracked Dental Restoration

While losing a dental restoration, like a crown or filling, is not painful, scheduling a same-day appointment with your dentist is important. A missing or damaged dental restoration could expose your tooth to decay, infection, or further damage when left unchecked.

If you have a missing or broken filling, sticking a sugar-free gum in the cavity could help keep bacteria at bay before you receive emergency medical attention from your dentist. On the other hand, if your dental bridge or crown is damaged or has become loose, scheduling an urgent appointment with your dentist is crucial, and do not forget to carry your damaged restoration with you.

Serious Soft Tissue Injury

A severe injury to the soft tissue of your mouth, gums, and tongue can also necessitate an emergency dental appointment with your dentist. Below is what you can do to prevent bleeding before scheduling an urgent appointment with your dentist:

  • Rinse your mouth extensively with saline water
  • Chew on a caffeine-containing tea bag or wet gauze for fifteen to twenty minutes to put constant pressure on the site of the bleeding
  • Keep ice wrapped in a cloth against the exterior of your cheeks to relieve pain and control the bleeding

These actions can stop the bleeding and infection and alleviate pain before you schedule your urgent dental appointment with a dentist for appropriate treatment.

Sore or Growth on Your Mouth

When you detect any abnormal sore or growth in your mouth, giving an emergency dentist a phone call is vital. Any abnormal growth in your mouth that does not go away, including a sore, could be a sign of cancer. During your urgent dental care appointment, your dentist can carry out various tests to determine whether you have cancerous tissues that must be addressed urgently.

The sooner a dentist detects the cancerous tissues in your mouth, the greater the possibility of reversing the condition.

Chronic Bad Breath (Halitosis)

While other foods like garlic and onions may cause bad breath, brushing the teeth afterwards can correct it. However, when you have consistent bad breath that will not subside even after brushing and flossing your teeth, you should see a dentist as fast as possible because it could be a sign of another oral or dental infection, including cavities or periodontitis.

If untreated, periodontitis could become severe, leading to bone loss and eventually the loss of the affected tooth.

Should I See an Emergency Dentist or Go to an Emergency Room?

When faced with a dental or oral health crisis, the majority tend to gravitate towards the emergency room. Though it is effective in most emergencies, an emergency room is not designed to handle situations regarding oral and dental well-being.

When you are facing any oral or dental health emergency issues, it is advised to book an urgent appointment with a dentist rather than go to the emergency room due to the following reasons:

You Will Get Specialized Care

An emergency dentist has the training and equipment to handle emergencies, meaning you will receive specialized care for your particular dental or oral health issue.

You Will Receive Timely Treatment

You are more likely to receive faster service when you book an urgent appointment with a dentist than when you go to an emergency room, which could have several patients in line.

You Will Receive More Affordable Treatment Options

Emergency dental care is typically more cost-friendly when you schedule an appointment with an emergency dentist rather than seeking the necessary treatment in the emergency room.

You Will Receive Full Dental Care Services

An emergency dentist can help resolve your oral or dental health issue and assess your overall health to prevent future issues.

Preventing Further Tooth Damage Through Prompt Care

When you book an urgent dental appointment, you will receive expert treatment to fix the root cause of the problem. An emergency dentist is well-trained enough to handle dental infections and injuries, and they will assist you in retaining your natural teeth.

Find an Emergency Dentist Near Me

Your dental and oral health are too crucial to be ignored. In addition to helping you preserve the aesthetics of your smile, preserving your dental and oral health is vital to avoid other issues. At Washington Dental, we understand the distress and urgency a dental emergency can cause.

If you or a friend or family member has experienced any dental and oral health issue that requires immediate medical care, our dentists are ready to help. We invite you to call us at 310-217-1507, wherever you are in Carson, Lomita, or Torrance, to schedule your initial appointment with us today.