Several signs can worry you and lead you to consult a dentist or stomatologist without delay. Most often, the need for an emergency dental consultation is linked to very strong, almost unbearable pain. Other symptoms may alert you, such as cheek swelling or uninterrupted bleeding in your mouth or from your gums or tongue. Additionally, perhaps you have broken or lost a tooth during a fall or sports accident. In any case, it is strongly recommended to consult an emergency dentist as soon as possible. In general, sudden mouth pain is a sign of infection and a dental infection can have serious consequences on the health of the patient.
There are generally five types of dental emergencies:
- Pulpitis, which is more often called “toothache”. It is an inflammation of the dental pulp, that is to say the inside of the tooth (endodontia), which can result from different factors (untreated caries, strong pressure, etc...). It is to be taken care of urgently because it risks turning into necrosis. That is to say, it can destroy your dental pulp and leave the field free for bacteria to attack the bone.
- Periodontitis is primarily an infection of the periodontium (the tissues that support your teeth) . Loose teeth are usually the best way to detect it.
- Complications following a tooth extraction operation (such as wisdom teeth) or after jaw surgery are also dental emergencies. Moderate bleeding is common within hours of such operations. However, if they persist or get stronger, you should not hesitate to contact your dentist.
- Infections following the placement of an implant are also dental emergencies. Caused by poor dental hygiene, they are very painful and can damage your teeth.
- Broken or loose teeth are obviously dental emergencies, since you must consult a dentist as soon as possible to hope to reimplant or reattach your teeth. For this type of emergency, the pain is usually enough to motivate the patient to consult an emergency dentist.
In all these cases, you should go to a dentist as soon as possible. Whether it is to stop unbearable pain or to save your teeth (broken or loose tooth), emergency care is imperative.
At many dental emergency clinics, only acute interventions are performed –the extraction of a nerve or a tooth is definitely considered acute care in certain situations. In acute situations, there is no time or space to propose alternative treatment options, so if you are hoping to save your tooth, an emergency dental clinic might not be the best option for you. Additionally, if your symptoms are not urgent or unbearable, it might be best to wait to see your regular dentist if you need a tooth extraction.
Prevention and good dental hygiene are the solutions to avoid emergencies. As we have seen, there are many types of dental emergencies, and we are all likely to face them at some point. It must be said that emergency dental care can be complicated and expensive, especially at night and on the weekends. Our best advice is therefore to try avoid these emergency situations by practicing good dental hygiene and consulting your dentist regularly to check the health of your teeth.