When Is a Toothache an Emergency?

Overland Park Family Dental
Thu, 11 Aug 2022 17:57:42 +0000
Dental Health, Emergency Dentistry

A toothache starts out as a persistent, throbbing pain. But how do you know if your toothache is manageable or a full-blown dental emergency? Check out our blog post where we outline what constitutes a dental emergency and give you tips on what to do if you’re battling a toothache.

The post When Is a Toothache an Emergency? appeared first on Overland Park Family Dental.

A toothache starts out as a persistent, throbbing pain. But how do you know if your toothache is manageable or a full-blown dental emergency? In this post, we’ll outline what constitutes a dental emergency and give you tips on what to do if you’re battling a toothache.

What Is a Toothache?

A toothache is a persistent pain around a particular tooth. The causes of a toothache vary — you might have some temporary nerve damage, decay that has spread to the root of your tooth, or sustained trauma to the tooth due to an injury or chewing on something hard.

The signs of a toothache are increased tooth sensitivity, especially when eating something hot or cold, swelling, throbbing pain, bleeding, and a bad odor or taste coming from around the tooth.

How to Tell If a Toothache Is a Dental Emergency

If the toothache doesn’t get any better after a couple of days and you notice your symptoms worsening, it’s time to reach out to your dentist. Moreover, if you are experiencing extreme swelling, persistent bleeding, or notice that your tooth is loose or has a wiggly sensation, it’s important to schedule a dental appointment right away. Depending on your symptoms and circumstances, you could have a tooth infection that might require a root canal or have sustained a crack or chip to your tooth which might call for a restorative or cosmetic dental treatment to fix.

When in doubt, consider it a dental emergency. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry!

Caring for Your Tooth After a Dental Emergency

At Overland Park Family Dental, we take dental emergencies very seriously. Our staff will get you into the office as soon as possible to assess your tooth and develop a custom treatment plan to help you restore your smile’s health again. As you heal, you might want to gargle with salt water a couple times a day to keep your injured tooth bacteria free, ice your gums and cheeks to find relief, and take any over-the-counter pain medications your dentist recommends as you’re on the mend.

Affordable Emergency Dentistry in Overland Park, KS

If you are experiencing a toothache and/or a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule an appointment! We will work with you to figure out the root cause of your issue and develop a treatment plan that works for your budget.