Dental emergencies happen for various reasons and come in different forms. If you are like some people, you may wonder if your condition is serious enough to warrant a trip to an emergency dentist. When left untreated, dental emergencies may lead to permanent tooth loss. A lot of these emergencies are critical and require emergency dental San Jose. Not seeking urgent care can lead to serious oral health effects. Below are the conditions that require emergency dental care:
Swollen Cheeks and Jaw Pain
Your cheeks can swell for various reasons. But if the swelling is accompanied by jaw pain, it may be caused by something serious. It can result from a minor tooth injury or an infection. If the swelling persists and is quite painful, seek immediate dental treatment.
Tooth Abscesses
Infected or abscessed teeth can be life-threatening, particularly if not treated for a long time. A tooth abscess presents symptoms such as painful toothache, bleeding, swollen and puffy gums, sensitivity, and raised white bumps on your gums. An emergency dentist may recommend a root canal treatment to eliminate the infection or extract the infected tooth. The procedure depends on the seriousness of the issue.
Broken or Cracked Teeth
For a cracked or broken tooth, the treatment depends on the tooth’s location and the seriousness of the crack. Seeking emergency dental care is meant to save your tooth. After breaking or cracking your tooth, use warm water to rinse your mouth. Apply gentle pressure on the affected part to stop bleeding. A cold compress can reduce swelling in the injured area. Preserve the integrity of the broken tooth by wrapping it in clean, wet gauze. Then take the tooth to your dentist.
Unusual Serious Tooth Pain
Some tooth pain can be serious and give you sleepless nights. If your dental pain radiates to the jaw, neck, or ear, this could indicate a severe dental issue. Intense sensitivity, persistent throbbing in the mouth, and facial swelling are symptoms that an emergency dentist must assess and address. X-rays may be ordered to determine the problem’s cause.
Bleeding Gums
Dental bleeding indicates gingivitis or gum disease. Such an oral issue can be accompanied by an unpleasant odor or swollen gums. Seeking prompt treatment is important. When left untreated, gum disease can make it impossible to restore the health of your teeth. Visit a reliable dentist for a thorough dental examination and get proper treatment.
Soft Tissue Injury
Often, soft tissue injury does not lead to too much bleeding. However, once it does, it could indicate a severe issue. The bleeding usually stops after a few minutes. Your dentist can diagnose and treat injury to the soft tissue. But you may need to visit an emergency room in a hospital if you have a serious soft tissue injury.
Strange Taste
Unusual taste tends to vary by person. Depending on its cause, bad taste can come in the form of an unpleasant metallic taste or a foul or bitter taste. Such a dental issue can impact your sense of taste if not addressed for a long time. Below are the contributing factors:
- Poor hygiene and dental issues. An unpleasant taste in the mouth can result from poor oral hygiene. Not brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can lead to gingivitis, which triggers the issue. Abscess, wisdom tooth eruption, and other oral health problems can also cause bad taste.
- Dry mouth. If you have a dry mouth, you can experience a dry, sticky feeling in your mouth because of insufficient saliva production. Saliva flushes out mouth bacteria and eliminates tiny food particles. Without enough saliva, bacteria can feed on food particles and produce acid that may cause bad taste.