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Eight Signs of a Dental Emergency

by | Jan 17, 2024 | Dental Emergencies

emergency-dental-care

Recognizing a Dental Emergency and When You Need to See a Dentist Immediately

Dental care—at the best of times, it’s routine, with a regular cleaning and checkup. Occasionally, though, something happens or something changes creating a dental emergency. Here are eight of the telltale warning signs that you may have a dental emergency.

What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?

Not every dental event requires immediate attention. If, however, you are

  • Experiencing pain that makes it difficult to do the ordinary things in daily life
  • In jeopardy of losing a tooth
  • Have bleeding in or around your teeth that won’t stop

you need to get into a dentist as soon as possible. Here are the common situations where you should seek emergency dental care:

  • Dental pain that interferes with your daily life and won’t go away—Often, it’s sudden, but occasionally it’s progressive. If you have to take painkillers more than twice, you should seek immediate attention.
  • You lose a tooth or have one that’s loose in your mouth—A quick visit to the dentist may save the tooth
  • Your gums are swollen or bleeding—Persistent pain, inflammation or bleeding requires immediate attention
  • There’s swelling in your mouth or jaw—This could be an early warning sign of a serious infection
  • You experience the symptoms of an abcess—An abcess, or infection, is an extremely serious matter. If untreated, it can even be fatal. If you have a bad taste in your mouth, any type of fever, bumps on your gums or tenderness in your neck, get immediate care.
  • You’ve lost a filling—You will typically know, as you’ll feel a gap at the base of your tooth or you’ll taste metal in your mouth
  • You have some type of object wedged between your teeth—If you can’t remove a piece of food or other object with floss, go see a dentist right away
  • A dental crown breaks or falls off—This can expose you to potential infection or lead to further tooth damage.

Is It Time for Healthy Teeth?

At Hutto Hippo Family Dental, our friendly staff is always ready to answer your questions or address any concerns you have about your dental health. Call us at (512)806-7740 to schedule an appointment.