Dental hygiene is an integral part of your general health. Unfortunately, many people ignore their teeth, which often leads to dental problems. Many people can think back to a time when they opted to ignore a toothache or some bleeding while convincing yourself that the issue would resolve itself. While a dental problem doesn’t always have to spell doom, it is still crucial to identify the signs that indicate you need emergency dental care.
Toothaches
Most of the time, toothaches are the most likely dental condition to be ignored. It is common to expect that the discomfort from this ailment will resolve itself over time. While this often happens, the eventual absence of pain does not always mean that you are in the clear. In fact, you must remember that the pain may have been an indication of a more serious, underlying problem.
Some of the causes of tooth pain include cavities, impacted wisdom teeth or gum disease. These scenarios can lead to more issues like bad breath, more pain and other oral and general health complaints. Therefore, it is best to contact your dentist when you experience a toothache.
Painful or Bleeding Gums
Don’t be alarmed if you rarely or infrequently observe some light bleeding in your gums. However, the condition becomes more severe if you begin experiencing more frequent bleeding or any pain on your gums. These symptoms are both indicators that you may be suffering from gum disease. Therefore, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible.
If left untreated, gum disease is likely to progress to a point where major surgery is the only corrective solution available, requiring procedures like bone surgery or bone and tissue grafts. Conversely, early detection and intervention requires only minor surgical work or even more regular cleaning.
Tooth Abscesses
A dental abscess is a contained collection of pus near a tooth. The presence of an abscess can cause significant pain in most cases. However, it is not always debilitating when they form on the gums. Still, it is more prudent to schedule a check-up whenever one develops, particularly if they make more regular appearances.
While gum abscesses may be considered minor, others form at the tooth’s root. These types are more concerning as they often have severe symptoms, including swollen glands, fever, more noticeable pus formation and bad breath. Therefore, these forms of abscesses truly warrant emergency dental care.
Cracked Teeth
It is easy to write off cracked teeth as a minor inconvenience. Some people even consider any desire to repair it an act of vanity. However, you must note that cracked teeth will also severely affect your dental health if you leave them untreated, as they can lead to tooth decay, damage to the root canal, infection and split teeth. Furthermore, allowing a cracked tooth to remain leaves it vulnerable to easy chipping upon even minor impact.
Losing A Tooth
The only time to celebrate when your teeth are falling out is during your childhood, as your permanent teeth begin to grow in. Otherwise, when it occurs in your adulthood, no matter the cause, it becomes a significant cause for concern and a sign that you should seek emergency dental care.
Missing teeth are more than just an aesthetic concern. If you don’t address the problem promptly, they can also cause infections and decay, spreading to surrounding teeth.
Your teeth are deceptively sturdy organs. So their ability to withstand the force you apply to every bite should not fool you into believing that they are indestructible. Therefore, you cease ignoring the signs that you need emergency dental care and make a dentist appointment as soon as you can.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
