Dental Emergency

Toothache and expert services at Guardian Dental Care

There may be numerous causes for a toothache- be it a loose crown or a swollen gum, an impacted tooth or a dental abscess but the most common reason is some sort of irritation to the dental nerve in one or more of the teeth.

On a regular basis, brushing one’s teeth in an upward and downward motion with a toothpaste containing fluoride is suggested. Rinsing the mouth with antiseptic mouth washes and flossing between the teeth to remove food particles is useful. A good rule of thumb to follow is to live on a good dental hygiene routine whereby regular cleaning and flossing is supplemented by visits to the dentist for a more thorough professional cleaning and oral check- up to see to the patient’s dental health.

Some common home remedies when experiencing tooth ache include taking painkillers and analgesics, gargling with warm saline solution, if there is facial swelling then to apply ice on it.

The main complaints associated with a toothache are sensitivity to hot and cold foods, pain when pressure is applied on the affected tooth, swelling of the gum and cheeks, fluid discharge from that area in the mouth (blood or pus).

In most cases, toothaches are just a symptom of a larger problem that can affect dental health if treatment is not sought. The pain doesn’t usually go away without treatment.

A patient is asked to immediately seek a dentist’s appointment when:

• Painkillers and similar over-the-counter medication did not help
• Pain from a pulled or extracted tooth refuses to recede even after 48 hours
• The pain is so intense that it has brought on a fever

A dentist will examine the painful tooth and area thoroughly and ask the patient a number of questions on their dental and medical history that may be relevant before making a diagnosis. The treatment to be administered will completely depend on the diagnosis. For example, in case of an impacted wisdom tooth or a severely decayed tooth, extraction may be the only alternative whereas for an exposed dental nerve or pulpits, cavity filling or a root canal might be more appropriate.

All About Dental Abscesses That You Need to Know

A pocket of pus that forms around the root of the tooth due to infection is called an abscess. These can be painful and cause a lot of discomfort if not given the necessary dental attention.

An oral abscess may be of three different kinds

• A periodontal abscess forms in the space between a tooth and the gum. The cause is generally poor dental hygiene and food debris rotting in these spaces causing bacterial growth. Such abscesses are difficult to deal with as there is little or no space for the pus in the abscess to drain and chances for infection of teeth, bone and gums are high.
• A gingival abscess forms on the gum surface, often on the area where the crown of the tooth meets the gum line. The cause for these abscesses is almost always external damage like the tine of a fork or a toothpick poking that area. If left untreated, gingival abscesses can grow into periodontal abscesses.
• A periapical abscess generally occurs in teeth with a large decay. In this case the dental pulp develops the infection (known as pulpitis) which can spread outwards to destroy the enamel and inwards to damage the nerve and root. It may also show up on the gum line or cause pain in the area surrounding the affected tooth.

At Guardian Dental Care, our dentists provide emergency support for patients with abscessed teeth and gums. The pain can be so much that it may cause facial swelling, prevents chewing and swallowing and in some cases even results in a fever from the infection.

The treatment priority is to drain the pus and treat the infected area to prevent further spreading of the infection. First off, the dentist may rely on dental X-rays to determine the nature and extent of the abscess. In case of minor abscesses manual pressure is enough to release the pus but in other more complicated abscesses the dental surgeon might need to make a cut on the gum to create space for the pus to drain.

Why Call Guardian Dental Care for Dental Avulsions

A trauma to the face due to a sports injury or an accident etc. may cause a tooth to get broken, loosened or completely dislodged from its socket. This is known as a dental avulsion and is a common cause for seeking emergency dental support at Guardian Dental Care. If a dislodged tooth cannot be reattached and needs to be extracted, then the missing tooth can be replaced by various dental replacement options such as dental bridge, crowns or dental implants. Our dentists at Guardian Dental Care will be happy to discuss options with the patient that would help preserve their intact smile.

It is imperative to get the dentist’s attention immediately if a tooth gets dislodged because this can be helpful in maintaining the shape and size of the original tooth and in some cases the dislodged tooth may be cemented back in place. Dental consultation as soon as possible also reduces the chances of infection, dental decay and gum disease.

Here are the steps that we request our clients to follow in such a situation:

• Retrieve and keep the dislodged tooth safe
• When handling the tooth hold it by the crown only
• If the tooth is dirty, clean it by holding it under running water but not more than 10 seconds
• Do not store the avulsed tooth in water. Best is to hold it in place in the socket inside the mouth.
• In case of a dislodged tooth gently but firmly push it back into place
• Act quickly to get a dental emergency appointment and come over to the clinic

At the clinic, the dentist will check to see that the dislodged tooth has been put in correct position. Any gum lacerations are treated and the affected area is washed with water or saline solution. The correct positioning of the tooth is of utmost importance and this is determined not just by physical examinations but also radiographically. In most cases of avulsion, a dental splint may be required to keep the dislodged tooth in place. In some cases, a week after the replanting, a root canal treatment may be necessary to repair the damage to the dental root.

Encounter jaw injuries? Think of Us

Jaw injuries from a severe blow to the face can be seriously painful and need immediate attention. If there is pain while clenching or moving the jaw, the jaw is stuck in either an open or closed position and cannot be moved like normal, there is swelling on the face or if the teeth do not align and it is difficult and painful to bite down normally – these could all be signs of a broken or dislocated jaw.

A dentist cannot make a full assessment unless they thoroughly examine a problematic jaw and this is where it is important to get emergency medical support. At our clinic we work with patients who present with temporo-mandibular (jaw) joint obstructions.

The jaw-related complaints that patients usually come with fall under the following categories:

• An injury to the jaw joint would cause the area to swell
• There is a fracture to the lower jaw
• There is a tooth impacted or dislocated
• The jaw joint has been dislocated

In any of these cases, the body’s natural response is to lock the jaw into place so that there is minimal movement and no further damage to the area. This happens in the form of muscular spasms as the muscles lock themselves into lace to prevent movement.

The first course of treatment that the dentist will follow is to perform a radiological examination to check whether the damage is to the soft fleshy parts of the jaw or to the bones. If it is truly due to an impacted tooth that the swelling or pain has occurred then the dentist will take care of it. The severity goes up by a lot if it is the jaw bone that has come out of its place. In the latter case the jaw must be kept immobile for the healing period once it is set in place. The two sets of teeth- upper and lower are kept together for a period of two weeks while the jaw heals.

Pain in generally so intense and the symptoms so stark that patients generally contact a dentist immediately. However, the dentist may refer to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon if the case so demands.

Partial tooth dislodgement : The Need of immediate management

Tooth dislodgement is called dental avulsion. Whatever is the cause, be it due to contact sports or accidental injury having a partially dislodged tooth can be an uncomfortable and often painful prospect. A tooth maybe just hanging from the socket (bone) or it may be just attached at the nerve or root.

If a dislodged tooth cannot be reattached and needs to be extracted then the missing tooth can be replaced by various dental replacement options such as dentures, dental bridge or dental implants. Our dentists at Guardian Dental Care will be happy to discuss all options with you that would help preserve your beautiful smile.

It is imperative to get an immediate attention by a dentist for any dislodged tooth because this can be helpful in maintaining the shape and size of the original tooth and in some cases the dislodged tooth may be cemented back in place. Dental consultation as soon as possible also reduces the chances of infection, dental decay and gum disease.

The temptation to touch the affected tooth with the tongue and to move it around should be avoided at all costs as this can cause further dental damage and tooth loss. The dentist will examine the oral condition and extent of damage to the dislodged tooth. The tooth will be thoroughly washed and treated with medication to prevent bacterial growth and decay.

In order to deal with the pain a local anaesthetic may be applied. The tooth socket will be prepared to receive an artificial tooth or restore the dislodged original tooth, whichever is appropriate under the circumstances. A dental splint is used to keep the inserted tooth in place. Dental splints do not hinder bite function but help the gum and tissue to grow around the newly set tooth.

The degree to which partial dislodgement can affect one or more teeth in the dental set may range from mild to moderate to severe. In severe cases, infection from having a dislodged tooth sets into the dental pulp and can even affect the dental nerve. In such cases root canal treatment is the only alternative.

Dental sports injuries? Think of Guardian Dental Care!

The most common reason for teeth to get broken or chipped or even dislodged is sports injuries. Generally if the injuries are minor, they just result in minor chipping or cracking but the more serious ones can even cause a tooth to come loose and eventually fall out.

The most common sports injuries happen to those who engage in contact sports like rugby, boxing etc. Dentists often suggest a precautionary measure like a custom-fitted mouth guard for the player. However, even in other sports like cricket, football, hockey etc. sustaining dental injuries is not uncommon and it happens to players of all ages both children and adults.

Our dentists at Guardian Dental Care who work specifically with dental trauma and injured teeth, will provide a thorough examination of the teeth so as to give you a true picture of how the teeth have suffered damage and what is the course of treatment to be followed.

Depending on the nature and the extent of the damage caused by the sports injury, the dentist will determine a course of action. For example, if the tooth is chipped but the chipped piece is with the patient, it may be just simply reattached and cemented in place. However, if more severe damage has occurred and the tooth crown has broken off, capping or an artificial covering for the crown may need to be made.

Due to a blow to the teeth caused in a sports injury, one or more teeth may become pushed into or out of place from the original tooth socket. Our expert dentists will reposition and stabilize the tooth/teeth that have moved away from their space. Root canal treatment is reserved for permanent teeth that have gotten dislodged and the treatment is begun many days after the injury so as to allow the teeth to align naturally from chewing, speaking and biting. 

If a tooth is knocked out of the mouth completely but has been retrieved, an immediate dentist consultation may be able to restore that same tooth in the gap with the help of dental splints. In case the tooth is missing, an artificial tooth will need to be made and put into the gap.