Dental care is all about taking care of the teeth, gums and mouth. Dental care is an important part of our overall health because it is concerned with prevention of cavities and gum disease. Your dental care professionals are a part of your general health care professionals because teeth and mouth are a sizable part of your body’s health, and wellbeing. And we go to our dentist as part of our general health monitoring. Usually we plan our visits according to the schedule which is maintained by the dentist’s office and these schedules usually takes care of our overall dental care.

But there are times when you have to go beyond these regular appointments and ask for an emergency meeting with the dentists. When we are going through a toothache, we always feel that this is an emergency and instant cure is needed. But almost everyone who has toothache feels the same. So how do we decide that an urgent appointment is in order? So how do we decide to call for an instant appointment?

What are the signs of an emergency to see the dentist right away?

A broken or loose tooth

After all permanent teeth have erupted, there is no occasion to have a loose tooth in an adult. Once our teeth are matured, they are meant to last a life time for vigorous activities like eating, drinking, speaking and a healthy life. When you find your tooth coming loose because of injury or trauma, because of sports or accident, it is an emergency. Call your dentist immediately and seek an appointment.

If you meet with an accident and find yourself with no apparent injury to teeth, it is better to get yourself checked for possible injury to nerves or jaw damage, which may not cause visible symptoms but needs attention in any case.

Another concern about dentist attention is localized infection which can grow and end up in a grave gum disease or cavities. When you find a loose tooth, with accompanying ache, it is important to insist for an appointment. The earlier the dentist checks the tooth, the better it is because infections can be stopped right away with treatment and teeth can be saved from further decay.

When you have an intense pain in the tooth. When you are going through severe pain in your tooth it is surely imperative that you see your dentist immediately who can provide some relief from the pain with immediate treatment, because intense unbearable pain can lead to many other problems in addition to the pain. 

There can be many causes to the toothache and the treatment the dentist gives will depend on the cause.

Numbness in the tooth

When after many days of toothache, your tooth feels no pain, then it could be that the infection has reached the root, and nerves are no longer receiving and sending messages. Numbness in the tooth also is a worrying sign. When after many days of toothache, your tooth feels no pain, then it could be that the infection has reached the root, and nerves are no longer receiving and sending messages

Bleeding gums

If you find your gums bleeding after brushing or flossing, it’s a sign of gum disease like gingivitis. It would be normal if it happens once in a while. Sometimes you happen to brush little harder, or at other times a sticky food gets between teeth and refuses to move with light flossing. You try harder or longer and you find your jaw bleeding with repeated pressure on the jaw tissues. This may happen once in a while, but when you find the bleeding quite often then it is surely a cause for worry.

With the recurring bleeding and ache, you may find swelling in the gums. When you find the bleeding gums getting more frequent and aching after the bleed, it is a sign that you must call your dentist and ask for an immediate appointment.

When gum diseases are caught early, the infection can be arrested and your teeth can be saved. If the gum disease advances too much then the patient may reach a point of no return.

Take an appointment in time and the dentist will surely be able to treat the periodontal disease. Even when you find you find your jaw swollen is a sign that you should worry you about your teeth problems. The jaw may get infected, and get swollen for a variety of reasons. It is a definite sign for you to call for an immediate appointment with your dentist.

Usually swollen jaw is accompanied by bad taste or no taste in the mouth, little fever, and trouble breathing and swallowing. All these at the same time is a signing bell for meeting your dentist immediately. This can be salivary gland infection which is caused by bacteria which prevents saliva flow in the mouth and stops bacteria flushing out by it.

Frequent and sudden headaches

Headache are very common in our stressed life. There are many reasons one gets headaches, but constant recurring headaches may be a sign of something wrong with your teeth. When you have ruled out reasons for repeated headaches and cannot pinpoint any cause, it is a good idea to call for an appointment with the dentist. If you have a sudden headache, especially one accompanied by jaw pain, it may be a good idea to call the emergency dentist.

Metallic taste in the mouth

When you feel the taste of metal in your mouth it could be because the filling you have had earlier for your decayed tooth has come loose or has cracked. When you get this taste in the mouth seek an appointment with your dentist right away because open dental cavity is an invitation for bacteria and infection.