A: Actually, there’s several. Cavities, people that have a poor diet or who haven’t been to a dentist in the recent past. They can develop a cavity in the tooth which everyone as everyone is familiar with, those can hurt.
The other one is a tooth that is broken that hasn’t been painful and then all of a sudden on a weekend or after work, it starts hurting.
So, it’s going to be cavities or a broken tooth that wasn’t painful before and is now painful
The last one is going to be trauma to the front teeth, those are emergencies under any circumstance.
Emergency dental clinics are trending upward in popularity and that is pretty indicative of society these days. We’re always on the go, working 50-60 hours a week or two jobs just to make ends meet. Unfortunately, with that busy schedule, many other things get put on the back burner, especially self-care.
One of the most often ignored parts of our health regimen has to do with our teeth. Dental appointments are by far the most often canceled appointments in the healthcare field. People get busy and assume that since they don’t have any pain in their teeth—everything is ok.
A Dental Emergency Can Be Avoided In Most Cases
Well, we hate to be the bearers of bad news, but there’s a reason things like cancer, diabetes, staph infections, and the like sneak up on people. When you don’t monitor your health, you don’t have the luxury of seeing problems as they develop.
Often, many health issues, especially dental issues, can be resolved much easier and with minimal pain when caught early. Take a cavity, for example, if you’re getting regular checkups, most cavities will be caught in their infancy. At this stage, the cavity has done very little damage and can easily be treated. It isn’t painful and doesn’t inconvenience your life or your wallet much at all.
In fact, there are many problems that when ignored, turn into a dental emergency when they didn’t have to.
Tooth Abscess
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that lies beneath the root of a tooth and is the result of a bacterial infection. Usually, they are a result of untreated cavities, dental work that has failed, or dental trauma. A tooth abscess will cause you quite a bit of pain in the gums, and teeth, and often will radiate to your inner ear.
A tooth abscess may also be called a periapical abscess by some dentists. A periodontal abscess (gum abscess) occurs next to the tooth root in the gum rather than in the tooth. Tooth abscesses are sometimes called jawbone infections. Either abscess can be quite painful and if not treated by a dentist promptly, could escalate severely.
However, they don’t have to. If you visit your dentist regularly, except for dental trauma as the cause—the warning signs will show. If you don’t, that is why it escalates and gets to the point where it’s both painful and dangerous.
Cracked Or Broken Tooth
A tooth can crack or break without suffering any major trauma to the dental area. These conditions can happen as a result of having bad genetics. People born with softer teeth have a higher propensity for a cracked tooth than most.
When you crack a tooth, sometimes it exposes the sensitive nerve within the layers of the tooth. You might not even be able to see the crack, but you’ll notice it if your teeth are tingling. However, you shouldn’t wait until it becomes painful.
Teeth that are broken or cracked need to have tooth repair performed as soon as possible. If left untreated the crack could spread. In worst-case scenarios, the tooth can completely break apart.
The most common treatment for a cracked or broken tooth that can be repaired is bonding or a crown. However, if the tooth is too far gone, what’s remaining of it will need to be extracted and replaced with a dental implant.
Long story short, your teeth shouldn’t be tingling. Better to find out that it’s nothing than to wait until it hurts and lose a tooth.
The Number One Avoidable Dental Emergency…
As one of the most common dental issues out there, a cavity is often dismissed as, “no big deal.” We don’t know why, but often, people seem to have little sense of urgency when it comes to a cavity.
You may hear people say, “It’s JUST a cavity” or “It’s JUST a filling.” The reality is, cavities that go untreated can turn into a major issue. In extreme cases, an untreated cavity can be the catalyst that leads to a fatal infection due to decay.
The infection that results from tooth decay can spread into your bloodstream. It then gets carried to all your vital organs which can shut your body down.
It’s just too much to risk by ignoring a cavity for the sake of not being inconvenienced.
Risks for Dental Decay
Cavities occur when the bacteria in your mouth produce acids that break down your enamel. Everyone is susceptible to tooth decay, and some activities can make your risk of developing a cavity higher than it should be. These include:
- A diet that consists of excessive amounts of sugar and acidic foods and drinks puts you at a higher risk for cavities as these create bacteria that directly erode tooth enamel.
- A toothbrush alone only touches three surfaces of your teeth; poor flossing habits allow food to remain trapped between teeth and erode enamel.
- Irregular dental cleanings and exams mean that you aren’t getting the plaque scaled off regularly, and there may be new developments that aren’t caught by your dentist.
- Brushing too hard or the presence of gum disease can cause your gum line to recede, exposing roots that are more susceptible to decay.
- Certain medications and health conditions can also increase your chance of tooth decay.
We’re Open After Hours, There’s No Excuse For Inaction
Our emergency dental clinic is open during times your average dentist is closed. After work and on weekends—so you have no excuse for not getting your checkups.
Book your exam online today and avoid a painful and often expensive dental emergency.
