Knowing When to See an Emergency Dentist Can Save You Money
When the worst occurs and a tooth chips or a filling cracks, it’s normal for many patients to feel a growing amount of anxiety over the future health of their smiles.
The idea of dealing with a dental emergency touches on the cringe-worthy idea of something having happened to our teeth and gums. Once a dental emergency occurs, images of gap-toothed smiles and the sounds of dental drills start going through our minds, creating the type of panic that makes this type of emergency such a difficult ordeal.
Fortunately, all the anxiety and worry can be assuaged. Dr. Archibald and his experienced team have the skill necessary to restore a smile back to health, quickly and comfortably. As an emergency dentist in Gresham, Dr. Archibald specializes in providing prompt, compassionate, and courteous care when our patients need it the most.
However, not all toothaches require immediate dental care. Knowing when to seek out an emergency dentist and when you can just schedule a regular appointment can save you a lot of time, money, and concern. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common signs that a dental issue requires emergency care.
Loose Tooth
Kids waiting for payment from the Tooth Fairy may have teeth that move or wiggle, but adult teeth should remain firmly in place.
Teeth that feel loose could signal the presence of a variety of oral health problems. Additionally, loose teeth can also occur as the result of an oral injury. If you notice teeth that feel loose after experiencing a blow to the face during an accident or game at the park, you need to seek out immediate emergency dental care. Even if your teeth look as they normally do, but feel loose, you may need to see Dr. Archibald to check whether any nerve damage has occurred.
Receiving treatment early on can prevent loose teeth from falling out and keep any further damage from occurring.
Extreme Toothache
How extreme a toothache is can also indicate whether you need to receive immediate dental care. If you experience some minor discomfort, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever to see if it can provide relief. If your toothache remains, you may need to see. Dr. Archibald.
In order to treat a toothache, Dr. Archibald must first determine the cause of the discomfort. A comprehensive dental exam and x-rays should provide him with a diagnosis on how to properly treat the underlying issue.
A severe toothache could be the result of a number of oral problems that range from a cracked or broken tooth to a loose filling or infection. As with any type of dental emergency, the more quickly you receive treatment from Dr. Archibald the more successful that treatment will be a preventing any further damage.
Swollen Jaw
A swollen jaw can indicate the presence of a serious infection. If your jaw is swollen and you have a bad taste in the mouth, fever, difficult swallowing, or breathing you need to receive immediate emergency dental care.
A salivary gland infection results from a bacterial infection that causes a blockage in the salivary glands. This type of blockage can prevent your body from producing enough saliva, while also causing swelling and discomfort. While this type of infection is uncommon, you’ll need to have Dr. Archibald examine you rather than leaving the problem untreated.
Dental Abscess
Any sign of a dental abscess should send you immediately to our office to see Dr. Archibald. Not only can abscessed tooth can cause a significant amount of discomfort, a risk of the infection spreading makes this dental emergency a potentially deadly one. While extremely rare, an infection that causes the development of an abscess can travel to the brain where it can become fatal. Symptoms of an abscess include fever, swelling along the gum line, a persistent foul taste in the mouth, pus, and swollen glands. Don’t risk your health by avoiding the emergency dental care this type of problem requires.