Emergency Dental Care: What to Do When You Have a Toothache That Won’t Go Away

Having a persistent toothache is one of the most uncomfortable and inconvenient feelings in the world. You’ve probably tried every holistic approach that can help you heal your toothache, like garlic cloves and peppermint bags, in the hopes of it going away. Maybe you’ve even tried over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin, and it’s still a throbbing pain, so maybe it’s high time you went to the dentist. In this article, we’ll talk about emergency dental care and what you need to do with a toothache that won’t go away.

Why is emergency dental care important?

Some people have a relatively higher pain tolerance than others, but for cases like a severe toothache, it’s important to get it checked immediately. For one, your persistent toothache could be an indicator of an underlying issue, and if that’s the case, then it’s better to get it checked by a professional emergency dentist. There are a lot of emergency dental clinics that can cater to your needs, but before everything else, it’s important to know what issues are considered dental emergencies. By getting them checked, the dentist can perform the following:

Check, diagnose, and perform treatment. Thanks to their trained eye and the help of modern equipment, dentists can accurately diagnose your dental problems. They can check if the cause of your pain stems from an abscess, infection, cracked tooth, or the like. By making an accurate diagnosis, they can recommend the right treatment method to ensure full recovery in no time at all.

Manage the pain and discomfort. One of the primary reasons people rush to emergency dental clinics is because they can’t handle the pain and want to receive treatment, and emergency dentists can provide you with such. With their knowledge, they can recommend effective pain management, be it prescription pain relievers or local anesthesia.

Prevent complications. Heading to the dentist at the first sign of severe toothache helps prevent the spread of infection and other complications. Not only that, but also attending to your toothache earlier also spares you from the unnecessary pain and probable costly and extensive procedures in the future.

Preserve your oral health. Although severe toothache is considered an immediate concern, addressing it promptly also helps preserve your optimal oral health. Now that a dentist has assessed your concern, they’ll also guide you on how to practice preventative care and even recommend follow-up procedures to ensure that you get to enjoy your dazzling smile.

Identifying dental emergencies and when you need to see the dentist ASAP.

Now that you have an idea of what emergency dentists do, it’s time to know what concerns are considered dental emergencies.

Severe, throbbing pain. As we’ve mentioned earlier, some people have a high pain tolerance and would rather take OTC pain relievers. But in case yours hasn’t subsided despite doing so, it’s time to get your severe toothache checked by an emergency dentist. This is because persistent pain is an indicator that there may be an infection or abscess involved, which requires immediate dental attention to prevent the condition from worsening.

Bleeding gums. Another common symptom that requires emergency dental care is bleeding gums—even more so if it happened out of the blue or if it’s caused by blunt trauma.

Inflammation and swelling. If your toothache is accompanied by swelling in certain body parts like your face, neck, or gums, then there’s a high chance that your toothache is caused by an infection. If left unattended, the swelling could worsen, which may lead to difficulty in breathing, talking, and swallowing.

Abscess. For those of you who don’t know, an abscess is a pus-filled swelling often placed along the gum line or an infected tooth. Having an abscess is painful and is a sure indicator that you have a severe infection, so it’s best to head to the nearest emergency dental clinic for immediate treatment and prevent it from spreading elsewhere in your body.

Knocked-out Tooth. A knocked-out tooth can result from extreme force or due to an injury. You can try and set it back, but it’s best to seek dental help so they can treat your tooth promptly and save it.

Fever. If having an abscess is a sure sign of severe infection when suffering from a toothache, then having chills is an indicator that you may be suffering from a systemic infection. In cases like these, it’s best to get medical and dental care ASAP.

Applying first aid and giving temporary relief.

While waiting for emergency dental treatment, you can perform first aid to give temporary relief to your toothache. Rinsing with lukewarm saltwater can help clean the area and reduce inflammation. On top of this, you can also apply a cold compress on your cheek or near the affected area to numb the pain and reduce swelling. As much as possible, avoid consuming sweet, hot, and cold foods and drinks since these can trigger the pain. Most importantly, do not attempt to treat your dental concern by yourself since there’s a high chance you can worsen your condition and lead to further complications.