Any kind of tooth pain can be difficult to deal with, but there is a clear difference between a mild toothache and severe, unbearable pain. In such cases, OTC painkillers or home remedies won’t be enough. For Houston residents, we suggest seeking an emergency dentist as early as possible. Read on to learn when your toothache might be a dental emergency.
Symptoms of Tooth Pain That Need Emergency Care
A toothache is always a sign that there’s something wrong with your tooth or the tissues surrounding it. Not all toothaches, however, need urgent care. Here are symptoms that suggest a need for an emergency dental visit:
Throbbing or intense tooth pain
If your toothache is so intense that you can’t eat, sleep peacefully, or even focus on anything else, it’s not normal. A pain this severe could mean that the infection or inflammation may have reached the inner pulp of the tooth.
All you need to do is contact our emergency dentist in Houston for a same-day visit.
Pain that lasts more than two days
A mild toothache that occurs because of stuck food or sudden bite pressure often settles down in a day or two. But if the pain doesn’t go away after 2 days and persists, it’s a warning sign that you should seek immediate care.
Tooth pain with fever
A toothache accompanied by a fever means that your body is fighting off an infection. This is not something you can manage with home remedies. Seek urgent care as soon as you can.
Broken or fractured tooth
Did you experience a sports injury or a sudden fall that damaged your tooth? If a tooth feels more tender than usual soon after an injury, you should get it checked by our Houston emergency dentist, even if there’s no visible crack or fracture.
Swelling in your gums or jaw
Tooth pain that occurs along with visible swelling in your gums or jaw is something you shouldn’t ignore. Sometimes the puffiness even extends to your cheek or face.
This could mean an infection spreading beneath the surface that needs to be treated immediately.
Sudden tooth sensitivity
Having a mild stinging sensation in your teeth when you take a sip of hot tea or coffee is not unusual. But when a tooth suddenly becomes too sensitive, it could suggest that your inner tooth nerves are involved.
What You Can Do Until You Reach the Dentist
While you’re on your way to our Houston practice for emergency dental care, you can take some quick first-aid measures for damage control.
- Rinse your mouth very carefully with salt water. It helps reduce bacteria and inflammation.
- If there’s swelling, apply an ice pack to your cheek for about 10 minutes.
- If your tooth is unbearably painful, take an OTC painkiller for temporary relief.
- Avoid chewing or biting anything on the side with a toothache until it’s treated.
Summing Up
Toothaches that are left untreated for too long only worsen as time passes. So before any serious complication happens, reach out to our team at Houston Biological Dentistry right away for emergency dentistry. Call (713) 785-7767 to book your same-day visit.