Going to the dentist is important for ensuring that our dental health is in tip-top shape. Regular appointments can help our dentists see if our teeth and gums are free from problems. But, there will be times that dental issues will occur when you are not due for a dental checkup.
For some, they will endure the dental issue if it can be self-medicated until they go to the dentist. For others who don’t go to the dentist regularly, they will ignore it completely. A few will take it seriously and go to the dentist anyway.
If you want to know which dental issues require emergency dental attention of your dentist, here is the top 10 issues you need to remember:
1. Loose tooth
As adults, you shouldn’t have loose teeth that may fall off at any moment. Permanent teeth allow us to eat, speak and live properly and if one of them falls off, it can cause problems. Loose teeth can be due to an injury, external factors or infections, and it can be painful if they are not treated immediately. Your dentist can check your oral x-ray and provide the right treatment to prevent more teeth from falling off.
2. Severe toothache
If you have a very painful toothache, you need to go to your dentist because you may be experiencing an infection. Your dentist can check what is causing your toothache and provide you with the right medication or oral care practice to prevent it from happening again.
3. Bleeding and aching gums
Although bleeding gums are common if you tend to brush too hard, it can actually be a sign that you are developing gingivitis, a type of gum disease that may worsen if not prevented immediately. Your dentist can check why your gums are bleeding or aching and see what level you are at. They may provide medication or surgery depending on the issue.
4. Swollen jaws
Swollen jaws are actually a major sign that there is a serious infection in your mouth. One of the most notable infections a person can contract is a salivary gland infection. Dental assistance is required for this case because any blockage in this gland prevents the body from producing saliva, which is crucial for cleaning bacteria and breaking food down.
5. Dental Abscess
Having dental abscess means that there is an infection in your tooth’s roots, which can be caused by trauma. When you have dental abscess, your taste is affected and it can spread throughout your mouth. Surgery is often used to treat this problem to remove the abscess and treat the affected areas directly.
6. Headaches
Did you know that some headaches are actually caused by your teeth? If you are experiencing headaches very often, you should check out with your dentist if your teeth may have caused it. Constant headaches caused by our mouth may be due to bruxism or teeth grinding. If you have bruxism, your dentist will check the quality of your tooth enamel or check if your teeth are sensitive. A treatment to this problem may range from a mouthguard to medicine.
7. Canker sores
Canker sores can happen at any time and does go away after two weeks. But, if it doesn’t get cured on its own after this time frame, the infection may have become serious. Your dentist can check it out and provide medicines to cure these sores.
8. Numbed tooth
While you are experiencing a toothache, there may be a chance it will become numb after some time. If this happens, the infection causing the toothache may be spreading to your other tooth and affecting how your nerves are responding to it. It is best to monitor the severity of your toothaches and if it reaches this stage, it is important to go to your dentist immediately.
9. Tiredness
There are times tiredness can be brought by an oral problem or infection. It may be a sign that your body is acting double-time to cure your body and affecting your energy. If you want to double check if your tiredness is caused by an oral infection, ask your dentist about it so they can check if it is an oral infection. If not, you can reach out to the right doctor to help you out.
10. Metal filling issues
Finally, if you have metal fillings to fill some of your tooth gaps, there may be a chance your taste will change and you feel like you are eating something metal. When this happens, it is a sign you need to get your fillings changed by your dentist. If you leave it alone, it is prone to cavities and other infections such as toothache and root canal.
Dental issues can happen at any time and if it does happen, you need to know when to go to your dentist. While some issues can be ignored for a short time with medication, small issues can be a sign of something serious. So, if you have dental issues, go to a dentist to get the right diagnosis and prevent major dental issues that can occur if you left it alone.