Most people are unaware that some dental issues, if not addressed immediately, can worsen over time and become more serious. It is essential to understand what qualifies as a dental emergency. Any problem that could risk your life and well-being is deemed a dental emergency. Dental emergencies can include missing fillings, fractured jaws, and bleeding. Your teeth can develop emergency dental problems because of specific ailments and conditions. Some dental issues are minor, while some can be severe and require immediate treatment. You should understand the meaning of a dental emergency before pursuing emergency care for your dental issues.

Common Types Of Dental Emergencies

A dental emergency can happen in different situations. In these situations, it will be essential to pursue emergency dental services, including restorations, antibiotic therapy, and tooth extractions. You could have a dental emergency if you have any of the following conditions:

Tooth Abscess

Also known as a dental abscess, a tooth abscess is a swollen lump with pus near the tooth's root. This often occurs when bacteria cause an infection in the tooth or around the root of a tooth. The signs of a tooth abscess can include:

  • A loose tooth where the infected tooth feels wobbly or is pushed out
  • A bad taste or bad breath in your mouth
  • Fever
  • The area around the tooth appears red and feels warm
  • Swelling in your face, gums, or cheek
  • Tooth sensitivity, particularly to cold or hot drinks
  • A throbbing or sharp toothache that gets severe when you chew or bite food

You can develop a tooth abscess if you have the following:

  • Gum disease
  • Partially impacted or grown teeth, especially wisdom teeth
  • A failed root canal treatment
  • A deep filling
  • Injured or cracked tooth, and
  • Tooth decay

A tooth abscess can cause infection in the pulp once the bacteria spread down to the root. The body often reacts by forming pus that builds up. You are more likely to suffer a tooth abscess if:

  • Take certain medicines
  • You have certain health conditions, like cancer or diabetes
  • Use alcohol or drugs
  • Failing to brush or care for your teeth well

See your dental expert immediately if you experience signs of a tooth abscess. You should not delay because a tooth abscess does not go away. Seek early treatment to prevent the infection from spreading and help you feel better fast. An untreated abscess can get severe and result in life-threatening complications.

Unexplainable Toothache

A toothache is pain around or in the teeth and jaws. The main cause of a toothache is dental decay. You can experience a toothache in various ways. The toothache can come and go or persist. Drinking or eating can make the pain severe, especially if the drink or food is cold or hot.

You can experience a mild or severe toothache. Sometimes, the pain can be sharp and begin suddenly. The pain can be severe at night, especially when lying down. A broken tooth or a lost filling can sometimes cause pain.

Sometimes, it can be hard to establish whether the pain is in the lower or upper teeth. You can feel pain coming from the ear if a lower molar tooth is affected. On the other hand, you can feel pain from the sinuses if the upper teeth are affected. Sinuses are the small cavities behind the cheekbones & forehead. Other causes of toothache include:

  • Teeth that start to appear through the gums, such as wisdom teeth
  • Wisdom teeth that do not have sufficient space to appear through the gums or develop normally
  • A split in the tooth or filling that occurs over time
  • Trauma to your tooth, due to grinding your teeth or trauma
  • Infection or swelling at the root of the tooth or in the gums
  • Food particles stuck in the teeth, particularly if your teeth have spaces between them or plaque buildup

Reach out to your dental expert immediately if you have any of the following with a toothache:

  • Signs of infection, such as swelling or pain when you bite, red gums, or a foul-tasting discharge
  • Fever, and
  • Pain that persists for more than a day or two

Knocked-Out Teeth

A knocked-out tooth is a tooth that is knocked out of its socket or out of your mouth. Dentists often call it a dental avulsion. An avulsed tooth is a type of dental trauma that requires immediate medical attention. If this happens, you can save your tooth by inserting it back in the socket. Keep it moist and reach out to your dental expert for an emergency treatment if you are unable to put the tooth back. Signs of a tooth avulsion include:

  • Bleeding
  • Mouth pain, and
  • A gap in your mouth where your tooth used to be

The common causes of avulsed teeth include:

  • Assaults
  • Traffic accidents
  • Injuries from participating in contact sports like martial arts, rugby, lacrosse, hockey, and football

Treating an avulsed tooth within 30 minutes to one hour has the best chance of success. You can do the following:

  • Pick the tooth by the crown
  • Rinse the tooth in milk or water to remove any dirt. Avoid scrubbing, drying the tooth, or cleaning with soap.
  • Put your tooth back in the socket gently.
  • Hold the tooth by the crown and do not touch the root
  • Bite on a handkerchief, gauze, or napkin to anchor the tooth in the socket
  • Contact your dental expert for an emergency appointment to check your tooth.

Dental Infections

Dental infections occur when bacteria enter your gums or teeth and spread to the nearby tissues. A dental infection can also result in an abscess, a lump of pus that develops in the gum tissue near the tooth root. You can experience a sudden rush of salty, bad-tasting fluid in the mouth, which has a foul smell and can relieve your initial pain.

Letting dental infections or an abscess go untreated can cause tooth loss and more severe, even life-threatening complications. In rare situations, the infection can spread to the brain and cause bacterial meningitis. It can also spread to the heart and cause endocarditis. Contact your dentist immediately if you have signs of dental infection.

Dental infections can occur because of dental decay or after an injury to your teeth or gums. It can also be caused by a dental or medical procedure in the mouth, which creates an opening for bacterial infection. You also risk suffering dental infections if you smoke, have certain conditions, or take immunosuppressant medicines.

Conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome can cause dry mouth, leading to dental infections. Saliva helps to protect the mouth from infectious bacteria.

Symptoms of dental infections include:

  • Swollen, sometimes painful lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck
  • Fever
  • Swelling in your cheek or face
  • Sensitivity or pain when biting or chewing
  • Sensitivity to cold or hot temperatures
  • Persistent, throbbing pain that can spread to the jawbone, ear, or neck

Items Stuck Between Teeth

You should contact your dental expert immediately if you find foreign objects or items stuck between your teeth that cannot be removed by flossing or brushing. You risk the following if the objects or foreign items are not removed professionally:

  • Gum irritation
  • Infection
  • Tooth decay
  • Gum disease, and
  • Tooth shifting

Dentists have the equipment and visibility necessary to safely remove stuck objects from your teeth. Leaving the objects in the teeth can cause bacterial growth, which can cause inflammation, bad odors, and infections. Your dental expert will examine your mouth and create a personalized treatment plan to remove it.

Sometimes, dental problems like food or bone spurs stuck inside the gums cannot be resolved at home. Visit your dental expert if you experience swelling, sharp pain, or persistent discomfort in your teeth. When to see a dental expert:

  • Difficulty removing a fish bone stuck in your gum or a popcorn hull stuck under your gums
  • Persistent pain or swelling because of items stuck between teeth and gums, and
  • A sharp bone sticking out of the gum after wisdom tooth removal.

Broken Dental Crown

A broken crown could be a dental emergency if the signs are serious or potentially harmful to your dental health. The following are the reasons why the crown can break:

  • Your teeth were already damaged, and the underlying tooth is not enough to hold a crown
  • You have not observed a proper oral hygiene routine or taken proper care of your teeth
  • Infected crown
  • You are developing gum disease, and your gums are irritated and sore.
  • You have an allergic reaction to the metal used in the crown
  • There is insufficient dental cement to keep the crown in place
  • You have a poorly fitted crown
  • Old crown that is breaking down
  • Eating food that is sticky and chewy, which can exert pressure on the crown
  • Suffering trauma to the teeth, like a blow to the mouth during sports
  • Having tooth decay under the crown
  • Suffering from bruxism or constant teeth clenching, particularly at night

Signs of a broken crown include:

  • Inflammation on the gum line that comes from broken crown edges
  • Feeling rough and jagged edges when you touch your teeth with your tongue
  • Foul odor or bad breath in your mouth
  • Sticking of food on the gum line near the crown
  • Sudden sensitivity to hot or cold food
  • Feeling pain or throbbing under the crown
  • Having a wobblier crown than your natural teeth
  • Having a cracked or fractured crown

Missing Filling

Sometimes, dental fillings can fall out because they do not last forever. Call your dental expert immediately if you have a missing dental filling. Your dentist will help replace it as fast as possible. The following are the reasons why a dental filling can fall off:

  • A chemical reaction that loosens the bond of the filling to the tooth
  • Trauma to the tooth or root
  • Grinding your teeth
  • Biting into crunchy or hard foods
  • Chewing hard foods or candy
  • New decay around the filling

However, consider the following if you are in pain and you have to wait one or two days to see your dentist:

  • Apply a topical numbing agent like Orajel or Anbesol to temporarily numb the tooth and gums.
  • Use an ice pack or a cold compress for 15 minutes to relieve swelling and pain.
  • Apply clove oil to the exposed gum and tooth, or use a whole clove. You can secure clove oil at a pharmacy or online.
  • Take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen to reduce swelling and pain.

A missing filling can cause damage to the unprotected tooth if the filling is not replaced. Food particles and bacteria can get stuck in the empty spaces, causing decay. The dentin can also be exposed, causing decay and sensitivity. Further damage or decay to the tooth can also require more repair work, like extraction, root canal, or crown. You require an emergency dental visit to avoid this.

Exposed Nerves

If you fail to see your dental expert, the discomfort from exposed nerves can become severe. You should contact your dentist immediately to prevent infections, further damage to the nerve, or the need for extensive emergency dental treatment.

Swollen Mouth or Jaw

Seek immediate care from an emergency dentist if your mouth or jaw swells suddenly for no apparent reason. The swelling can occur because of infection, irritation of the lymph nodes, or another condition that needs immediate professional dental care.

Swollen or Inflamed Gums

Infrequent gum irritation is not considered a dental emergency, but continuous bleeding gums, especially when accompanied by swelling and pain, can be a dental emergency. Seek a dental appointment immediately if you experience these signs.

Find A Skilled Dental Expert Near Me

A dental emergency can occur anytime, even when you least expect it. You should contact a dentist immediately if you notice the signs of a dental emergency. Some common signs of a dental emergency include a knocked-out tooth, persistent toothache, dental abscess, swollen gums, dislodged dental fillings or crowns, among others. How fast you act in a dental emergency could be the difference between saving and losing your tooth.

For reliable emergency dental services, contact the Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry. We have experienced dentists who can handle all types of dental emergencies. Contact us today at 310-361-2080 to speak to one of our dentists.