Dental emergencies can take many forms. The good news is that most are easily identifiable. Unfortunately, this is usually due to significant physical discomfort. To help you further, let’s look at signs of a dental emergency that require immediate attention and the best actions to take when they occur.
What Qualifies As a Dental Emergency?
Not all oral discomfort constitutes an emergency. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that any instance of oral pain should simply be neglected on the assumption that “it will work itself out.” If left untreated, even the most minor of symptoms can develop into an emergency that can impact a person’s oral and overall health.
However, certain symptoms are telltale signs that an individual requires immediate attention from an emergency dentist visit:
- Sudden, severe, and unrelenting toothache
- Swelling of the jawbone or the gums
- Bleeding from the gums or inside of the mouth for no apparent reason
- Loose permanent teeth: In adults, a loose tooth, with or without pain, is a serious problem
- Loss of a permanent tooth, whether because of impact or untreated decay
- A broken dental crown
Causes of Dental Emergencies and Actions to Take
- Severe toothache – If dental pain is sudden, severe, and completely resistant to over-the-counter pain medication and all at-home pain relief techniques, seek emergency care immediately.
- Swelling of the jawbone – Unexplained swelling of the jawbone may indicate an infection that can result in tooth loss and spread elsewhere in the body.
- Unexplained bleeding in the gums and mouth – Bleeding in the mouth or from the gums for no apparent reason often indicates infection or a dental abscess (pocket of pus around a tooth), which can similarly threaten tooth loss and spread to other parts of the body.
- Loss of an adult tooth – Losing a tooth as an adult is abnormal and requires immediate action, whether due to direct impact or untreated infection. Fortunately, knowing what to do in such a situation can help save the tooth:
- Recover the tooth, handling it only by the crown, not the root.
- Rinse the tooth off gently – no scrubbing!
- If you cannot place it back in its socket, store the tooth in milk or water.
- Visit a dentist as soon as possible!
Finding the Best Emergency Dentist in West Allis
If you're in the West Allis, WI area and need an emergency dentist or want to be prepared, Dr. Roberto Monteagudo and the friendly and knowledgeable Wisconsin Smiles team are here to provide prompt, top-quality care when you need it most!