Dental emergencies come in all sorts of flavors, from a mild toothache to a completely dislodged tooth. In some cases, it’s more obvious than others that you need to see your emergency dentist in Portage. How can you tell whether your symptoms warrant urgent care or not? To help you out, here are a few signs that you need to call your dentist.
Your Mouth Tastes Like Metal
Have you ever gotten a cavity treated with a metal filling? While these restorations are quite durable, they were unfortunately not designed to last forever. Over the years, they generally break down, crack, or become loose. When this happens, the damaged portion of your tooth becomes vulnerable to attacks from bacteria. If your mouth tastes like metal, it could be a sign that this is the case.
Your Tooth Went Numb
Did you have a toothache that suddenly went away? You might be under the impression that your tooth got better all of a sudden, but if your toothache is due to an infection, your problem is far from over. It likely means that your infection has spread to the inside of the tooth, where the nerve is housed. This may cause the tooth to “die,” meaning it no longer receives pain signals from the brain. At this point, root canal therapy may be your only option to save the tooth from having to be extracted.
Your Canker Sore Isn’t Getting Better
This applies for any kind of oral lesions or sores that you may have. Canker sores happen to just about everyone, and they usually heal on their own after a few days. But if yours isn’t going away, contact your dentist right away. This could be a sign that you have oral cancer, which needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
You Have a Loose Tooth
Once you’ve progressed past childhood, your teeth should stay firmly rooted in place. If one of your teeth is loose, it could be the result of an injury. On the other hand, if you have multiple loose teeth, that could be a sign of advanced gum disease. Whatever the case may be, you need to get medical attention from your dentist as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could end up losing your teeth.
Your Gums Are Bleeding
Do you ever see a spot of pink in the sink after you brush or floss? You might think a little blood is no big deal; after all, it’s perfectly normal for gums to bleed when you first start a new flossing routine. However, if it lasts for more than a few days, it could be a symptom of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. See your dentist before your condition gets worse.
Sometimes, dental emergencies aren’t as obvious as a tooth getting knocked out. If any of the situations described above are familiar to you, contact your emergency dentist in Portage as soon as you can.
About the Author
Dr. Danny Hayes has been a dentist in Portage, IN for almost 15 years and counting. He earned his doctorate from Temple University School of Dentistry. Due to COVID-19, his practice is currently only open to treating dental emergencies, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll get the help you need. If you have any of the emergencies described in this post, contact Dr. Hayes at (219) 763-6878.