I know, I know - I hate the dentist, too (no offense, Dr. H). But, avoiding your regular checkups can lead to painful and expensive dental issues. Let’s discuss some of those issues.

Signs to look out for

It's critical to know what the issues are and how serious they are to determine if they are regarded as an emergency or not. As defined by the American Dental Association (ADA), a dental emergency is any harm to the mouth that is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate care.

There are two main warning signals to look out for, and if you see one of them, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist. Here are some indicators to consider what you may be facing:

• Severe oral pain and swelling

• Uncontrollable bleeding

• Inflammation is caused by a visible infection

• A missing or loose tooth can be assisted with quick intervention

Types of Dental Emergencies

The issues which occur can be found in various forms, and the severity of each differs. To reduce the risk of permanent damage, you need to understand how to handle a dental emergency when it occurs. However, you first need to identify the type of condition or problem you may have and how severe it may be. Below you can find some of the more common issues that would be considered an emergency. 

• Abscess: tooth infection containing pus which causes tooth sensitivity, fevers, toothaches, and swelling

• Pericoronitis: the crown of a tooth or your wisdom teeth becoming visibly inflamed

• Tooth luxation: the displacement of your tooth at the root of the tissue, which can cause swelling, pain, and or bleeding

• Tooth avulsion: tooth loss

• Osteitis: dental condition after tooth removal

• Cellulitis: infection in the gums causing swelling and pain; they can also affect your facial and neck area as well as your surrounding lymph nodes

• Tooth fracture: broken tooth, which can vary in severity; if there is severe pain, it can be considered an emergency

• Final crown/bridge cementation: can cause severe pain in the gums

• Pulpitis: can affect more than one tooth and cause tooth sensitivity, toothaches, and swelling, which can become irreversible if left long enough

The first step in avoiding urgent or emergency treatment is to maintain healthy teeth and gums in addition to your regular checkups. You do not want to be facing a long term issue. You must have the ability to tell if you can wait a few days to visit your dentist or not. There may be concerns that appear to be significant at first glance, but it's crucial to contact the dentist office and allow them to apply their expert judgment.  

If you face a dental problem, your dentist should be contacted as soon as possible, which should not be ignored. Prolonging the inevitable will only make the problems with your teeth or gums worse. What happens if you have a severe issue which qualifies as a dental emergency? Nothing good.

Urgent dental care can be challenging to have, and sometimes it can be challenging to understand what tooth problems justify as an emergency. Dental emergencies can occur at any given time or place, and pain and uncontrollable bleeding are usually the first signs that should not be ignored.