Is Having a Bad Toothache Considered a Dental Emergency?

A woman with a painful toothacheMany people wonder at what point a toothache is considered a dental emergency. It’s important to understand that the more severe your pain, the more important it is to seek proper dental care.

Any toothache lasting longer than a day or two and causing pain and discomfort is considered a dental emergency.

If you don’t seek proper care, the toothache will only worsen. You could have a broken tooth, a lost crown or filling, or even a broken tooth. Any of these conditions can leave you vulnerable to infection.

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Is a Tooth Infection a Dental Emergency?

A woman with facial swelling from a dental abscessA tooth infection, also known as a dental abscess, is a condition that can cause significant discomfort and potential health risks if left unaddressed. However, not all tooth infections necessitate immediate emergency attention. This brief read aims to discuss the signs of a tooth infection and determine whether it’s an emergency that calls for immediate dental care.

How to Recognize a Tooth Infection

A tooth infection usually develops when bacteria invade the innermost section of the tooth referred to as the pulp. This can result from cracked teeth, untreated cavities, or gum disease. Some of the common symptoms of a tooth infection include:

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Should You See the Dentist If You Have Toothache?

A dental professional treating a patientA toothache refers to the pain that a person feels in and around their teeth and jaws. It is often the result of tooth decay, sensitive teeth, gingivitis, or breakdown of tooth enamel. And if a toothache is not treated, the pulp inside the tooth could become infected. So, a toothache could also mean the presence of a dental infection.

Should You See the Dentist If You Have Toothache?

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What Happens If Tooth Infection Spreads to Your Jaw?

A woman with jaw painA tooth infection, or abscess, is the build-up of pus and bacteria inside the teeth or gums. The bacteria cause tooth infections. And if left untreated, the bacteria inside the tooth might spread to the jaw. So, if it to the jaw, it could lead to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Here is what happens if tooth infection spreads to the jaw:

A tooth infection spreading to the jaw could lead to toothache, bone infection, tooth loss, blood infection, and inflammation throughout the body.

Toothache

If there is an opening in the tooth enamel, then bacteria might infect the pulp of the tooth. The infection might spread from the root of the tooth to the jaw. The infection could cause a toothache. Why? Because the infection could lead to tissue swelling and buildup of pus within the tooth and jaw.

Bone Infection

The presence of bacteria inside the tooth could lead to bone infection. The bacteria travel from the pulp of the tooth to the jaw, causing bone infection. And the bacteria can destroy the supporting bones over time. The bone infection could cause swelling and dissolve the jaw bone. The swelling can damage the bone and lead to bone loss.

Tooth Loss

Once the infection spreads to the jaw, the bone structures of the jaw become weak. A weak jaw bone structure does not support the teeth. So, if a person does not treat their tooth infection, they will lose more teeth later in life. If a tooth falls out, it leaves an empty space in the jaw, leading to bone loss and tooth loss.

Inflammation

If a person does not treat a tooth infection, the infection could spread to the jaw bones and other parts of the body. In fact, the bacteria from the tooth infection could spread to the jaws and enter the bloodstream to cause inflammation throughout the body. The inflammation could rupture organs and block arteries.

Blood Infection

Last, but not least, the bacterial infection could spread to the jaw and through the entire bloodstream. If bacteria from the tooth infection enters the bloodstream, it could lead to adverse effects. The person may experience a rapid heartbeat, high fever, chills, confusion, vomiting, and severe nausea. Blood infection can cause shock and organ failure.

Final Thoughts

Most tooth infections are easy to treat. Early treatment can stop the tooth infection from spreading to the jaw. However, if the tooth infection spreads to the jaw, the infection could become severe and life-threatening. Maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting the dentist regularly can prevent tooth infections.

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What’s The Most Painful Dental Problem?

A dentist with a patientTooth decay, dental abscesses, displaced teeth, and loose fillings are some of the most painful dental issues.

Toothache is considered to be one of the most common dental emergencies. It can interfere with your work, sleep, and feeding schedule. If you experience a severe toothache, it is recommended that you seek emergency dental care in Rochester immediately.

There are many reasons why you may experience toothache. The pain might be temporary, going away on its own, or persistent – which may be a sign of an underlying issue. In some cases, the pain may be accompanied by swelling and bleeding in the gums.

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Don’t Delay On Repairing An Abscessed Tooth

A woman with a painful toothacheThere are certain dental issues that need to be treated with the same fast care as chest pains or other serious medical conditions, and an abscessed tooth is one of those. The problem is that an abscessed tooth is often mistaken for just being a tooth ache, and that can be a really serious mistake.

The Symptoms of a Dental Abscess

An abscessed tooth is normally easy to identify. Aside from major throbbing pain up in the gums or root area of a tooth, there is often major swelling in the gums. An abscessed tooth is a bacterial infection and because of that, it is especially serious.

Common Symptoms Include:

  • Bad breath
  • Fever
  • Swelling & severe pain
  • Problem chewing
  • Severe temperature sensitivity to hot and cold
  • Open sores in the mouth

These are just the beginning, however. It’s important to understand that when left untreated, this infection can easily spread into the blood which can then go through your system and especially to affecting your heart. This leads to severe medical issues and complications that can almost always be avoided if the abscessed tooth is treated immediately.

Even in situations where it may take time to get an oral surgeon to extract the tooth, dentists will want patients suffering from an abscessed tooth to get on antibiotics immediately to lessen the chance of the infection spreading and at the very least keep it contained and better controlled.

A Tooth Abscess Not A Minor Problem

An abscessed tooth will at the very least need a root canal, careful medication, and special treatment. However, there are also many times when having an abscessed tooth also means that the tooth will eventually have to be removed. This is often the case with severe tooth decay, so it’s not a problem that should be put off. There are too many health ramifications – so get any abscessed tooth treated as quickly as possible.

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Saving a Dying Tooth With Root Canal Therapy

A dentist performing a root canal on a patientUnderneath the hard enamel of your teeth there are many living nerves. When your teeth decay there is the risk that the pulp and the nerves can become infected, killing the tooth off. One way to save a dying tooth is with root canal therapy.

Root canals are incredibly complex. Before your dentist performs the procedure he will want to examine your tooth and perform an x-ray to assess the extent of the damage. You may then be given a course of antibiotics in order to clear up any infection that is currently present. After this, you will be given a local anesthetic so that the dentist can work on your tooth without causing too much discomfort.

Your dentist will then open up the top of the tooth, and remove any pulp inside. If you have an abscess, it will be drained at the same time.

Once the inside of the tooth has been cleared out, the next step is to hollow out the roots and then fill them to prevent further infection.

It is essential that the roots are filled in properly, because if they are not then more bacteria could get into the root canals, and they could become infected. Infection of a hollowed out canal is even worse than infection of the canal when it is still intact, because the dead, hollow root canal is an anaerobic environment and it does not get any blood supply, therefore the body’s immune system cannot tackle the infection.

In some cases, the treatment may require several sessions to hollow out all of the roots. If this is the case then the dentist will carry out a temporary filling in between sessions, to protect the tooth from infection. They will also provide antibiotics if necessary.

Depending on the reason that the root canal therapy was necessary, the hollowed out tooth may become discolored. Talk to your dentist if you are not happy with the way that the tooth looks. They will be able to offer advice on the best ways to treat the discoloration without damaging the tooth.

There are a number of cosmetic procedures that may be suitable, but you will need to wait for your mouth to heal after the root canal treatment before any of these are carried out. That could take a while if you need more than one session to fully fill the tooth.

If you need a local Rochester, NY dentist to do your root canal contact the dentists at emergencydentistrochesterny.com for a consultation and examination.

See A Dentist If You Are Experiencing Persistent Jaw Pain

A woman with jaw painAre you experiencing persistent pain or discomfort in your jaw? If so, do not just try to ignore the pain or mask it by taking painkillers. Such pain can be a sign of a serious dental problem that could threaten your health, or even your life. You need to call our Rochester dental office right away to make an appointment so that we can diagnose the problem.

Many patients just try to ignore the pain for as long as possible in the hope that it will go away on its own. They may be more afraid of visiting the dentist than they are of the pain. However, this is not the right approach. We need to examine your teeth and jaw so that we can give you the treatment that you need.

In many cases, such jaw pain is a sign of an infection. Left untreated, such infections can become quite serious. A dental abscess, for example, can damage your teeth to such an extent that the only course of action is to extract them. By treating the abscess promptly, your teeth can be saved.

There are other problems that can lead to persistent pain in your jaw. For example, you may be clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep. Many patients do not even realize that they are doing this. Over time, this can wear down your teeth and cause a great deal of pain and discomfort.

We can examine your teeth for the characteristic pattern of wear that indicates that you are grinding your teeth. By fitting you with a special splint that you wear at night, we can help you eliminate this habit. Many patients find that their pain starts to go away almost immediately after they start wearing the splint.

Another possible cause of jaw pain is a problem with your temporomandibular joint. This is the joint where your jawbone connects to your skull. If there is some weakness in this area, it can cause significant pain. Have you noticed that your jaw tends to pop? This can indicate a TMJ problem.

Do not ignore jaw pain or just rely on painkillers. We can help you diagnose the problem and recommend a course of action that will deal with the root cause of your discomfort.

Call our Rochester emergency dental office today to make an appointment so that you can enjoy a pain-free life again.

Do You Have Facial Swelling?

A woman with facial swelling from a dental abscessFacial swelling can be the sign of a very serious dental emergency so make sure to contact a dentist immediately for a complete examination.

If facial swelling is bothering you, then you need to visit a dentist immediately. Facial swelling is a strong sign of infection. Many dental patients like you experience swelling and discomfort due to infections in the teeth or gums. As infections can spread very quickly, it is important for you to come get dental treatment as soon as possible.

There are many different sources of tooth infection, and any of them can cause swelling. In most cases, swelling is a sign that the infection has begun to spread. If you do not get treatment quickly, the swelling can spread to your eyes, neck, chin and other places. Fortunately, you can avoid a trip to the hospital if you act quickly.

In some cases, dental infections can become fatal when they go untreated. As the infection spreads, it is very possible for it to get into your bloodstream. Once your blood is poisoned with the infection, you may face serious risks. This information is not to scare you, but rather to educate you on the importance of quickly seeking our dental treatment.

One very common source of facial swelling is a tooth abscess. This common infection can be a very painful infection that typically occurs within the root of the tooth. In some cases, it may also happen between the gum and tooth. Abscesses occur when bacteria becomes trapped in these locations. This bacteria is most commonly caused by significant tooth decay that is left untreated. We can quickly treat a tooth abscess to eliminate the infection and symptoms.

In addition to facial swelling, swollen glands in the neck are a prominent sign of tooth infection. As the roots of teeth become infected, the swelling can spread downward. You may experience swelling in both areas or just one area. It is important to call for treatment even if you only have swelling in your neck. These symptoms should both be treated quickly.

At the first sign of facial swelling, call our Rochester, NY dental office to speak with someone who will assist you. Make sure to list your symptoms so that we can get an accurate feel of what is wrong. With this information we can determine whether you need emergency treatment or not. In any case, we will be able to provide you with thorough care that meets your needs. Treating dental problems is a serious matter, so act quickly to get optimal results.

Abscessed Teeth Are Serious Dental Emergencies

A woman with facial swelling from a dental abscessThere is no question that not only is an abscessed tooth painful, but it can also be extremely hazardous to one’s overall health.

An abscessed tooth refers to a tooth that has an infection either inside or around it. That abscess can lead to a wide variety of other health issues.

While some people may want to discount an abscessed tooth as “just another dental issue,” the truth is that it’s much more serious than that! Some of the signs include extreme pain, bad breath, and swelling of the gums. These are bad enough, but an abscessed tooth goes well beyond that.

There are more and more reports coming out that abscessed teeth are leading to additional infections. These infections can lead to headaches, migraines, fevers, and in some extreme cases even death.

This is why an abscessed tooth is a dental emergency. Aside from the extreme pain, that infection can lead to brain damage and death, or heart attack and death. The gums are a sensitive area in the mouth, which means the infection can easily spread to parts of the body with fatal results.

Don’t take the appearance of an abscessed tooth lightly. Even if a dentist can’t get you in for immediate tooth work or removal, if needed, they do have the ability to prescribe both painkillers and antibiotics to help fight and corral the infection.

This is critical. When you see serious swelling in the gums and jaw, those are very dangerous signs that the infection is spreading beyond the abscessed tooth. You need high quality dental care fast and you need to treat any signs of an abscessed tooth as an emergency dental procedure.

More than any other dental issue, a dental abscess can cause serious health ramifications. Don’t treat them lightly!

If you suspect you have an abscess call a dentist in Rochester, NY immediately!