Dentures: Facts, Figures and Friendly Advice for Seniors

4 Sign You May Need an Emergency Dentist Visit

25 June 2018

Herman Kim

Almost everyone is surprised with a dental emergency at one point or another. Kids chew the unchewable, run into walls, and fall when playing, just as adults also do after a few too many drinks. Dental injuries really are potentially around every corner. But when is a dental injury really an emergency? Is your problem truly worth bothering your family dentist for an unplanned visit? Below are some common symptoms of problems requiring emergency dental treatment.

Swelling Under the Jaw

If you or someone you know is experiencing swelling under their jawbone, down their neck, or of their lymph nodes under the rear portion of their jaw, they may have a serious dental infection, often of the wisdom teeth. Such an infection can be extremely serious and is best seen to by a dentist as soon as possible, as they can develop very quickly.

Tooth Ache

Having a toothache at some point in your life is very common, so it is important to accept that the odds are very heavily against a toothache getting better on its own. Not only will procrastination of treatment lead to more damage, but it will also lead to more pain. In fact, it's a widely experienced reality that toothaches get worse at night, particularly when you're laying down. When you lay down horizontally, the blood in your body rushes to your head. This increase of pressure from the blood in your head, in turn, puts pressure on the sensitive tooth, increasing the pain.

Chipped or Fractured Tooth

If you or a family member chips or cracks a tooth, you wouldn't be alone if you felt like leaving treatment for a more convenient time, but this is a bad idea that is practiced far too often. Even if it's just an apparently tiny, superficial chip, there may be a lot more damage hiding beneath the surface that only a trained dentist can see. An inconveniently planted, unseen crack can quickly undermine the structural integrity of a tooth and can rapidly develop and worsen.

You Have an Important Upcoming Social Event

Even in today's society of DIY tooth whiteners and addicts, many people still forget about the social effects of a pearly white set of teeth. Whether you have an upcoming wedding, high school reunion, or you are just catching up with some old friends, teeth whitening will definitely improve people's perception of you and add to your healthy glow. With the procedure now so cheap, effective, and streamlined, you can often have an emergency teeth whitening scheduled, attended, and completed the day before an important event.

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