Teeth can usually be maintained through check-ins and regular cleaning, but sometimes something traumatic happens that calls for more immediate care. Emergency dental services treat extreme aches, broken or missing teeth, and soft tissue injuries. Not all dentistry offices provide emergency dental care, so it helps to make sure that you know the dentists in your area that do offer it. That way you don’t wind up rushing to find an emergency dentist while struggling with severe pain.

Aching Teeth

A little bit of tooth pain does not qualify as a dental emergency, but when the pain won’t go away you might need to see a dentist. A toothache that requires emergency dentistry isn’t brought on by hot or cold foods, as that would imply tooth sensitivity. It is unusual in its severity and persistence. Many things can cause a toothache, from stress caused by grinding to an abscess that needs treatment. If you don’t know the source of your tooth pain and it won’t go away, you should call an emergency dentist for help. In many cases, you will be asked to come into the office right away. If you have to wait for any reason, try using a cold compress near the tooth to reduce swelling and pain.

Broken or Missing Teeth

A tooth that gets chipped or lost needs immediate attention from an emergency dentist. For lost teeth, some might assume that they can wait as long as the tooth seems to have come out intact. Even in those cases, going to see a dentist is helpful to determine if any fragments of the root were left behind. A piece of a tooth left embedded in the gum structure can lead to an infection that puts your other teeth and your gums in danger. In addition to the pain caused by a broken or lost adult tooth, the risk of infection in these situations runs very high. The faster you see an emergency dentist, the better your health will be.

Soft Tissue Damage

Your lips, your gums, your tongue, and the inside of your cheeks are all part of your overall mouth health. Trauma, unconscious chewing, and disease can all damage these areas of tissue. In many cases, pain or bleeding is something that you can treat at home, either with a warm washcloth or a cold compress. However, pain that doesn’t go away or bleeding that doesn’t stop may be a sign of something more serious. In addition, severe acute pain in the gums or consistent bleeding from that area is cause to call your dentist. Your gum health is essential to maintaining healthy teeth, so damage done there may be an emergency situation.

The bottom line is that if you have unexplained bleeding or severe pain in your mouth, a call to an emergency dentist is a good idea. Because you don’t get to choose when these emergencies happen, it’s a good idea to know what dentists in your area can provide emergency treatment should to need arise.