Toothaches might seem like a short-term problem in earlier stages. However, with time, they can turn into serious dental problems. The more you leave them unattended, the more serious they could get.

It's no secret that emergency dental care is a stressful and scary experience, but it doesn't have to be. With the right emergency dentist in Clermont, FL, you can quickly find relief from pain and discomfort. 

This blog post will discuss warning signs that indicate emergency dental care is needed and what to do when these symptoms arise.

Shaking teeth

As an adult, your teeth have already grown and matured to help you eat and live a healthy life. A loose tooth could indicate a few dental emergencies like an infection that can cause tooth injury. A dentist should be able to see the problem immediately. Dental infections like dental caries or gum disease (when a bacterial infection affects your gum tissue and surrounding bones) could cause you a lot of pain. You should seek early treatment from your dentist.

Alternatively, a car or game accident can cause loose teeth.  This could cause a lot of pain and calls for immediate medical attention. Your teeth may seem okay, but they need to be firm. It would help if you looked into an emergency dental appointment to know the underlying problem. If left unattended, it could lead to bone deterioration, and you may lose your teeth.

Bleeding gums

Bleeding gums after a floss aren't normal. It could be an early sign of gingivitis or gum disease.  Continuous bleeding could be a sign of plaque build-up around your tooth. Plaque that is not cleared early hardens to tartar. Nevertheless, when the bleeding becomes excessive, and you start to feel pain, that's a sign to book a dental appointment.

There are several other causes of bleeding gums, like hormonal changes during pregnancy, improper flossing, or using blood thinners.

If you're doing all the dental care you need at home, like brushing and flossing, you're doing great to prevent gum disease. However, if your gums swell and start aching, you should visit your dentist to examine them as soon as possible. Gum disease could reach an irreversible state because it occurs in stages.

A swollen jaw

Swelling in your jaw could be because of a lump or something that is causing pain. This is called a swollen jaw, and it can also be tender or sore. A swollen jaw can happen if you have a dental infection like a salivary gland infection. Signs of this are fever, bad taste in your mouth, and difficulties swallowing. A swollen jaw might also happen if there is some type of blockage in your salivary glands, preventing saliva from doing its job properly. Salivary gland infections are not common dental emergencies, but make sure that you let your dentist know about anything they find during treatment to treat what needs to be treated.

Acute toothache

Some symptoms of toothache are a sharp and constant pain which is felt only when you apply pressure on your tooth, for some people. Foul tasting drainage and swelling around the tooth are also symptoms of a toothache.

The level of toothache dictates the urgency of seeking dental care. The more the pain, the more urgent care you need. Minor toothaches have few treatment options. Otherwise, you might need emergency dental care. Contact your dentist to seek emergency dental services. Treatment relies on the cause, so you need a proper diagnosis for long-lasting relief.

Dental abscess

Dental abscesses are a result of pus-forming inside the tooth caused by a bacterial infection. Solid symptoms of abscess are fever, swollen glands, and pus. These symptoms are experienced in a majority of patients with this infection.

A dental abscess is a reason enough to indicate a dental emergency. It is found at the root of your tooth and may cause a lot of pain. Majorly, it is a result of an untreated dental cavity or gum disease. However, it may also be caused by damage by a chipped tooth.

A dental abscess can spread the infection to the rest of your body, making you ill hence it should be checked as early as possible. You should avoid visiting a general practitioner because there's little they can do about it, instead call a professional dentist.

Worsening canker sore

Canker sores are small lesions that occur on the soft tissues of your mouth and can make eating difficult. Luckily, canker sores are not contagious and usually heal after some time.

Canker sores are not a substantial cause of dental emergencies. They can happen a couple of times to any person. However, canker sores should cause alarm if they are infected. If the sore stay longer without healing, see your dentist right away.

Persistent headaches

There are a lot of factors that can cause headaches. Most people who have headaches have stress, other ailments, or too much cold stuff. But if your headache continues to happen, it might mean you need dental emergency care.

Your teeth have a great connection with your head. It might be the tooth or jaw that is hurting that causes the headache. Those who grind their teeth may get more headaches and should see a dentist as soon as possible to fix this problem before it becomes worse!

If you suspect that your teeth are the cause of your headache, schedule an appointment with your dentist. You may be required to book a series of appointments for close monitoring. Although patients might not need complicated procedures for treatment, it could be as simple as wearing a mouthguard.

Metal taste in your mouth

When your mouth starts tasting like metal, it could signify that your metal filling is cracked or loose. If you get this taste, you should consider getting emergency dental services. Open fillings could leave your teeth susceptible to new diseases. Instead, your dentist should issue a new filling, clean and disinfect the affected area.

Other possible causes for metal tasting in your mouth are:

• Pregnancy
• Dementia
• Chemical exposures
• Over-the-counter drugs containing heavy metal ingredients.
• Poor oral hygiene.

Insensitive tooth

If you've been experiencing painful toothaches and suddenly you feel numb, it could be a sign that your root or nerve has been affected. A numb tooth is not a good sign. It could mean that an abscess has reached your root canal. If the problem is left, it may cause your whole tooth to die. It would be best to be keen on your toothaches to indicate a major issue in your dental health.

Trauma may be caused by an accident or biting onto something too hard. Trauma to the tooth could also make it become numb. That is why athletes are advised to use a mouthguard when playing. Otherwise, they could cause damage to their teeth.

Preparing for dental emergencies

Dental problems can happen, and it is good to be prepared. Here are some things we call the Patient Dental Emergency Kit:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Sterile gauze
• Tylenol
• Dentist's number

Contact Smile 4 Me Dental for emergency dental services in Clermont, FL.

At Smile 4 Me Dental, we have a professional dentist to cater to all your dental needs. We provide general, family, and cosmetic dentistry. General dentistry includes root canal, teeth whitening, emergency dentist, and dental filling. Family and Cosmetic Dentistry include porcelain veneers, dental implants, and dental extraction.

We care for all our patients. New patients are welcomed by filling in some paperwork. Also, we accept most PPO insurance plans. So don't worry if you don't have an insurance plan, we have an in-office savings plan. CarecCredit is also accepted.

Please schedule an appointment with us today for your dental needs. Call us at 352-243-9930 or reach us through our email info@smile4medental.com.