How Can I Tell If I Need Emergency Dental Care?
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Proper dental care is essential, especially when it comes to emergencies. You’ll need emergency dental care if you have any dental concerns that are too extreme to wait. But you might not fully understand when you should seek help. Our team at LANCO Dental Care in Lancaster, PA wants you to understand when you need emergency dental care.
Here are a few signs that show you need to contact an emergency dentist for help with your teeth. These are signs that something is wrong with your teeth and that you need help right away before the issue can become worse.
A tooth is loose
You might notice a loose tooth even though your teeth are fully mature. A loose tooth could come from many things, including:
- An injury in the area
- Possible jaw or nerve damage
- A localized infection
- Internal bleeding in the local area
Our goal is to identify the issue and treat it before the situation becomes worse and spreads to other teeth.
Your toothache is not going away
Sometimes a toothache will persist for a few hours. But there are also times when the toothache won’t disappear at all.
You might experience a toothache for many reasons, including nerve damage. The toothache could also be from certain teeth being impacted, especially the wisdom teeth. Our experts at LANCO Dental Care in Lancaster, PA can review your tooth pain on short notice.
You are bleeding in the gums
Sometimes, your gums will start to bleed due to plaque, bacteria, and other concerns. These issues can threaten the health of your teeth. An emergency dentist can review what is causing the bleeding.
A metal filling is leaking or has become loose
A metal filling can help protect your existing teeth, but it may not last forever. A metal filling can last for about 10 – 15 years on average. It provides security, but it can crack or become loose after a while. You’ll notice a distinct metal taste in your mouth when this happens. You’ll need to contact a dentist right away, as failing to fix or replace your filling can cause additional bacteria to develop in the area, potentially harming your teeth even further.
You have an abscess
A dental abscess is a small bit of pus from an infection. The infection could develop from a cavity or other deep impact in the area. The abscess will develop deep in the root area of the tooth. It can create irritation that will not go away until the abscess is drained.
You can tell you have an abscess in your tooth through many things:
- Intense pain in the area, including around all the teeth near the initial abscess
- Bad breath
- A fever
- Pus leaking from around the tooth area
- Swollen glands near the tooth
The abscess must be drained and cleaned as soon as possible. The tooth may also need to be pulled, although that is not necessary for all situations. Treating the abscess soon is critical for preventing potential tooth loss.
We can help with dental emergencies
It’s scary to deal with a dental emergency, but at LANCO Dental Care, we will be there to help. You can reach us at LANCO Dental Care in Lancaster, PA if you need help resolving any dental emergencies you may have. We are available to serve your emergency concerns surrounding your teeth.