You don’t always have the option of waiting for a dentist’s appointment to become available before you need to go in. If you’re wondering what a dental emergency is, there are a few situations where you need to get care as soon as possible at Lovett Dental Pearland to protect the long-term health and well-being of your mouth.
Excessive Bleeding
Bleeding is a concerning sign, but it’s not always a sign that you should immediately go to the dentist. The bleeding to be worried about is when it does not stop after applying pressure. Something may be seriously damaged if it keeps flowing from your mouth, and you also have to worry about the effects that blood loss might have on you.
Extreme Pain
Dental pain causes a lot of distress, and it’s your mouth’s way of telling you that something is very wrong. Even if you don’t know exactly what’s going on with your tooth, you need to go to a Lovett Dental Pearland dentist to get relief and evaluation if you are in significant pain. They’ll tell you what a dental emergency is.
Some dental conditions that can lead to major pain include:
- Tooth misalignment
- Tooth trauma injuries
- Major infection
- Burst abscess
Broken Tooth
Sometimes teeth decide that they would much rather be in pieces. You may get in an accident that leads to a mouth impact or bite down on something too hard or pointy. Whatever the cause, you end up with a tooth that is broken in one or more parts. It could be a complete break, where that piece comes out of your mouth, or a deep crack that exposes the dentin and pulp of your tooth. You need to get this dental emergency resolved quickly before bacteria can infect deep inside the tooth tissue.
The dentist may be able to cap the broken tooth with a crown or put a filling material in place to stop cavities from causing more issues. It’s possible that you would need to go through a root canal as part of saving the tooth, or it may end up being too damaged to keep.
Fallen Out Tooth
Dentists can often save your teeth after they fall out, but you have to act quickly. The longer your tooth is out and exposed to dry air, the more likely it cannot be saved. Retaining your original tooth is much better for you, especially when it comes to costs and maintaining a natural smile. If the tooth is lost or it’s too rotten to do anything with, you may need an extraction to remove any part that remains.
If these tooth pieces are not taken out of the socket, it becomes much more challenging to put a bridge or implant in place. They could also get infected and cause an abscess.
Abscesses
Infections in your teeth and gums can be life-threatening, especially when they’re so bad that abscesses form. You need to act quickly when you detect this pocket of infection, and an experienced dentist will be able to begin treatment immediately. You may need to go on a course of antibiotics to target the infection, and additional procedures may be necessary to solve the underlying problem. You will have a lot of pain and possibly a fever when you’re suffering from an abscessed tooth in many cases.
Call Lovett Dental Pearland Now for a Dental Emergency
No one wants to ask what is a dental emergency, but sometimes you have to. Your tooth and gum health impacts your well-being, and some situations need to be addressed as soon as possible to avoid long-lasting concerns. Contact us at Lovett Dental Pearland by calling 281-416-5844 to get help during a dental emergency.
