When you are hit with a pang of pain under one of your teeth, your entire day can come to a standstill. While it is always advisable to stay calm in an emergency situation, this advice can be hard to follow when it comes to dental pain.

While discomfort is an obvious indicator of any kind of emergency, many dental patients are surprised to learn that it is not the only reliable way of detecting urgency; some dental emergencies do not have discomfort as a symptom, leaving many patients in the dark as to what warrants a same-day appointment.

At the Healthy Smile Centre, we have provided this brief guide to help you identify a dental emergency and can assure you of a same-day emergency appointment with our dentist in Zetland. We will aim to get you out of any discomfort as soon as possible and provide you with advice on how to avoid dental emergencies in the future.

But which symptoms and situations warrant an emergency appointment with our dentist in Zetland? Read on to find out!

Swelling

An obvious indicator of a problem anywhere on the body is swelling.

In your mouth, a swelling that requires urgent attention from our dentist in Zetland could be under a tooth, on the gum line, on the inner cheek or towards the back of your mouth, creating problems with breathing.

Whatever the cause and even if you are in no discomfort, our team will diagnose the underlying issue and aim to reduce the swelling by the end of your appointment.

Lost filling or crown

A very common occurrence among dental patients is that of lost fillings and crowns.

While these issues rarely present without any discomfort, even when they do, it is important that you see a member of our team as soon as possible.

Delaying treatment to a tooth that has lost a filling or a crown can cause bacteria to enter the tooth, creating an infection or allowing decay to form in a less treatable area.

Cracked or chipped tooth

Once again, this is an issue that we see almost daily at the Healthy Smile Centre.

Occurring due to impact or perhaps a very tough bit of food, chipped or cracked teeth will need an emergency repair. Even if they are small, not seeking treatment can cause damage to spread, leading to more complicated treatment.

Lesions

So, you’ve had a dental ulcer for over a week and it isn’t going anywhere; do you continue to liberally apply an ulcer gel?

No; for any persistent, reoccurring or unusually coloured ulcers (such as black or purple), you need to see our team urgently to assess your condition. While often harmless, lesions may indicate an underlying health issue that you are unaware of.

Broken braces

Even though they are made of metal, braces can still detach from teeth or the metal wiring can snap or shatter completely.

In either case, book an emergency appointment, so your orthodontic work can continue unhindered.

Disclaimer

All dental treatments carry potential risks. Contact your local dental team for more information about the procedures mentioned in this article.