Nobody wants to be thought of as “overly dramatic” or making a mountain out of a molehill, but an emergency is an emergency, and when it comes to an oral health emergency, what counts as urgent may look very different than a medical emergency. Your teeth shouldn’t hurt at all, so if you are experiencing any toothache pain, you need to be seen by your dentist, stat.
Here are some common causes for tooth discomfort, and why it’s so very important that you be evaluated by your dentist as soon as possible.
Causes of Tooth Pain
There can be many reasons your tooth or teeth can begin hurting, however, in many cases the only way they will feel better is to be treated by a dentist. A few common toothache causes include:
- Tooth trauma
- Sinus pressure or infection
- Arthritis in the jaw
- Teeth grinding / jaw clenching
- Cavities
- Impacted wisdom tooth or teeth
- A tooth infection
Why Time is of the essence
While sinus pressure will eventually go away on its own and poses no permanent risk to your teeth, all other issues will require treatment from a dentist. Unfortunately, your teeth will not simply “heal thyself” or get better on their own. Even a tooth infection will get worse without intervention, so don’t wait around for it to clear up (it won’t).
Thus, it is imperative that you schedule an urgent appointment with your dentist. Tooth damage of any kind will eventually cause more problems that will end up causing greater pain and costing you more money the longer you wait to address it. It can even result in the loss of your tooth or teeth!
Ways to Prevent a Dental Emergency
While you can’t always see or stop dental problems from coming, there is still a lot you can do to reduce your risk of needing an urgent dental appointment, including:
- Visiting the dentist twice a year for your semi-annual exam and cleanings
- Brushing your teeth twice a day
- Flossing once a day
- Using your teeth only to chew food (no tearing into packaging or biting your nails!)
- Wearing a mouthguard while playing sports
- Using a bite guard if you grind your teeth
- Not smoking
Remember, accidents will happen but preventing oral health injury can help lower your risk of needing an urgent visit to your dentist. If you do feel any dental pain or discomfort, don’t delay in seeking care. The CDC recommends seeing your dentist after the first 24 hours of dental pain to help prevent illness or injury from spreading or worsening.
About Our Practice
If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, Southlake Family Dentistry is here to help you. We pride ourselves on spending a proper amount of time to make every patient feel comfortable, cared for, and never rushed, but when it comes to urgent situations, we are proud to provide quality treatment at record speed.
Don’t suffer needlessly with tooth pain. To schedule an emergency dental appointment, please visit our website today or call us at 803-548-3342 or after hours at 803-526-7509.