Do your teeth ache? Do you want to know if you should see a dentist? Our Ottawa dentists discuss some warning signs of an emergency.
Why do my teeth hurt?
A toothache can bring throbbing pain to your mouth and be quite severe. You probably don’t need to be told to contact your dentist as soon as possible if you are experiencing this emergency.
There are several different signs that indicate you should see a dentist right away, in addition to pain around the tooth. These include:
- Foul taste in your mouth or bad breath
- Fever
- Swelling around the tooth
- Facial swelling
- Bleeding in your mouth
Different factors that may be causing your tooth to feel painful include:
- Trauma to the tooth or surrounding tissue
- Abscessed tooth
- Infected nerve
- Damaged dental work
- Infections in the mouth
- Tooth decay
- Teeth grinding
What to Do
If you are experiencing tooth pain, the first thing to do is to quell any bleeding using gauze. If the tooth (or a piece of a tooth) has been lost, try to locate it. Once found, dust off any debris (do not rinse with water).
If possible, carefully insert the tooth into the socket and bite down gently. If you can't get the tooth back into the socket, fill a lidded container with milk and place the tooth inside. This may help to preserve the tooth and increase the likelihood of your dentist being able to replace it.
If you are experiencing swelling or pain, try taking over-the-counter painkillers (while carefully following the instructions on the bottle for the recommended dose) and applying an icepack to the area.
You should then make an appointment with your dentist so the issue can be diagnosed and treated. Note that most dental pain will not stop on its own, and attempting to diagnose or treat the issue yourself could lead to serious issues long-term.
Our dentists at Green Bank Hunt Club in Ottawa may tell you to come to our office right away for treatment or make an appointment to see you as soon as possible, depending on the cause of your pain.
Bookmark our website or search “dentist near me” in your favourite search engine and we will likely pop up.
If you have experienced trauma to the tooth that has caused a fracture or breakage, or if you are in severe pain that you are unable to manage yourself, call our office as soon as you are comfortable and safe. We will make room for you in our schedule as soon as possible for emergency dental treatment.
If your case is less severe, here are some other things you can do to manage your discomfort until your appointment time:
- Rinse your mouth using salt water
- Record your pain
- Keep your teeth clean
- If the tooth is broken, apply a piece of gauze over the jagged edge of the tooth