Emergency Care

If you want to know what's the best emergency care for your toothache, talk to our dental expert and solve your dental problems now!

Emergency Tooth Care for Toothache

Tooth decay is the prevalent cause of toothache in both adults and children. Sugars and starches in people’s diets can help bacteria in the mouth to live and multiply. This sort of bacteria tends to form a sticky plaque on the surface of the teeth. Plaque bacteria produce acids that eat away at the enamel of the teeth, resulting in cavities. Enamel is the white, hard coating that protects the teeth’ outer layer. One can identify the initial phase of decay when they experience pain upon consuming sweet, hot, or frozen food. In some cases, tooth decay manifests itself as white or brown spots on the tooth.

Consider yourself lucky if you have never had a toothache or sensitivity. You are probably also worthy of praise for maintaining a healthy oral hygiene regimen and attending dental appointments regularly. Dental problems can range from mild sensitivity, a dull ache to excruciating pain. Pain is a typical bodily reaction that means something is wrong somewhere in the system. It is often triggered by other causes, such as hot or cold food. Although, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of a toothache right away.

What is Toothache?

A toothache, also known as Odontalgia in medical terms, is any pain that occurs inside or around a tooth. The tooth and the gums and bones around it are usually the cause of such pain. A toothache can occur regularly or only on rare occasions, but it does not go away until it is treated. When the affected tooth is exposed to temperature changes, such as consuming cold or hot food or chewing, a toothache may occur. In some cases, a toothache may develop without any external stimuli.

What Causes a Toothache?

Tooth Decay

The most widespread cause of toothache is tooth decay. Bacterial infection in the cavities of the teeth can then spread to the inner parts of the tooth and even into the pulp (internal neural plexus) tissue. Tooth discomfort may also be caused by physical trauma or gum disease.

Continuous Severe Pain

An infection in the tooth, which may be followed by an abscess (pus-filled region) in the surrounding bone and gum tissue, is indicated by persistent, intense pain and pressure, swelling of the gums, and sensitivity to light contact. In such cases, it is essential to see a dentist or endodontist right away, not just for pain relief but also to prevent the tooth from being so severely damaged that tooth extraction is the only choice. Treatment may include a root canal procedure to remove the diseased or dying pulp inside, possibly accompanied by other periodontal procedures to drain the abscess and control the infection.

Lingering Pain

In most cases, lingering discomfort after consuming hot or cold foods indicates a problem with the pulp tissue within the tooth root. Bacteria may have infected the pulp tissue and compromised its vitality due to deep decay or physical damage to the tooth structure. The infection will destroy the nerves in the pulp tissue so that the pain may go away for a while , but the infection thereafter, when not treated, has the capability of spreading and causing severe damage. Make an appointment with us at Burnaby Square Dental right away for care. A root canal procedure may be performed if you have a toothache or are at risk of losing your tooth.

Sharp Pain

A loose filling, extreme tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or probably diseased pulp tissue within the tooth root may cause sharp pain when hit by thermal stimuli or biting various foods. The dentist will examine your mouth to determine the precise cause. Depending on the outcome of the test, they may need to perform fillings, bonding, root canal therapy, or other procedures.

Momentary Toothache

A small spot of decay or a loose filling may cause temporary or occasional pain due to sensitivity to hot or cold foods. It may also be exacerbated by a small amount of tooth root exposure due to gum recession. Switch to a soft toothbrush and toothpaste made specifically for sensitive teeth. If that doesn’t work for a few weeks, schedule a dental appointment. Some dental procedures (such as teeth whitening) can result in temporary sensitivity. The exact recovery strategies will also be used to alleviate it. However, if the pain does not stop or worsens, you need to seek an appointment with your dentist right away.

Dull Ache

A dull ache or pressure in the upper jaw or some teeth may result from sinus infections or inflammation caused by colds or flu. The pain goes away after the disease has been treated. This form of pain has also been linked to tooth clenching or grinding habits (bruxism). Moreover, if you suffer from bruxism, you should visit your dentist to have a night guard made.

What Treatments Are Available for a Toothache?

The cause of the toothache determines the required treatment. If a cavity causes your toothache, a filling will resolve the pain if nerve is involved, root canal therapy is needed and if not enough tooth structure left or a long deep crack is the cause the tooth has to be extracted. Infection can spread over the jaw bone , If the patient has a fever or their jaw swells up, the dentist will prescribe antibiotics.

Benefits of Emergency Care for Toothache

Prevention From Further Serious Infection

The abscess that causes toothache can also spread to other parts of the face and neck. In such situations, it is essential to seek emergency treatment to avoid further life threatening outcomes.

Prevention From Pain

A toothache can be excruciating and, in some cases, cause swelling. The ability to speak and chew will deteriorate over time, reducing a person’s quality of life. When a patient has a toothache, emergency care ensures that the pain is relieved quickly and that the patient’s quality of life is improved.

Faster Treatment

When it comes to toothaches, emergency treatment means that patients do not suffer excruciating pain until their next dental appointment and save them a lot of grief.

Saves Time

One of the most well-known advantages of emergency dental care is that it saves time. Patients do not have to wait for treatment at their dentist’s office for long periods. As a result, you won’t have to take as much time off from work. Furthermore, you will not be in excruciating pain until your regular dentist’s office opens. This means “Access care when needed and as soon as possible” .

Immediate Availability

Toothache is one of the most prevalent dental problems that people face. If you slip and fall and chip a tooth, for example, you’ll want to see a dentist right away because you don’t want to walk around with a broken tooth before your next dental appointment. You will obtain appropriate care as soon as possible with emergency dental services, ensuring that you do not have to deal with associated dental complications in the future.

Assess the Problem

If a toothache bothers you, it is possible that you don’t know what’s causing the issue. When it comes to dental issues, the actual condition can be more severe than the initial symptoms. It is best to seek emergency dental care to figure out what is causing the tooth pain. After the dentist has identified the problem, you should consider and schedule treatments. Furthermore, the emergency dental service provider will assist you in determining the following steps to take in order to address your dental problem.

Save Your Teeth

A decayed and rotten tooth causes a toothache, if severe, the only solution is for it to be pulled out. However, as we only grow one set of adult teeth, losing a tooth can permanently affect your overall oral health.
When teeth are lost, your mouth needs to adjust to this change differently, shifting teeth, discomfort, and your smile may even change permanently. Regular dental visits on the other hand are essential. When you choose to go for regular dental check ups , you are practically saving your teeth as such visits ensure that you avoid issues of dental deterioration , emergencies and other irreversible damages.

Why Choose Burnaby Square Dental

We Are Professionals

At Burnaby Square Dental, we have a team of highly skilled dentists who can manage and treat various dental issues while adhering to clinical standards for both routine and complex procedures. Our state-of-the-art facilities also ensure that patients are treated in a safe, hygienic atmosphere and receive high-quality dental treatment. To ensure optimal oral health and a beautiful smile, we provide a wide range of dental services under one roof. Our dentists are highly trained and licensed, and our entire team is dedicated to delivering excellent treatment to each of our patients.

Comprehensive and Total Health Dentistry

At Burnaby Square Dental, we have a team of dental specialists, professional assistants, and friendly support staff who work together to ensure that our dental practices are of the highest quality. We have a wide range of dental services, including innovative procedures, including dental implants, root canals, intravenous sedation for nervous patients, crowns, and more. Each of our dental surgeons has received additional training in cosmetic dentistry and smile design. Regardless of the severity of your dental needs, our team at Burnaby Square Dental will provide you with the best possible options and treatments. Our dental treatment is of the highest quality and is delivered in a welcoming atmosphere.
Call us at (604) 526-2725 or fill out our online form directly to schedule an appointment today. Your dental health is paramount to us!

Frequently Asked Questions

Your tooth consists of a pulp nerve inside. It is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, mainly because it comprises soft materials such as nerves, tissues, and blood vessels in a limited space. These nerves can cause you to feel extreme pain, especially once they become irritated or infected by bacteria or trauma.

A toothache may be considered a dental emergency if it stays for more than 1-2 days. Severe pain and discomfort is a signal saying that a cavity has developed to the nerve or a tooth has been infected. If you fail to get it treated, it will only get worse.

You can always prevent a toothache from occurring if you maintain a proper oral hygiene routine. This routine includes brushing your teeth daily, flossing once a day, using an antiseptic-containing mouthwash once to twice daily, and getting a professional dental cleaning and check ups twice a year.

To determine the primary source of your toothache, the dentist will carry out several diagnostic tests that will try to simulate possible sources such as cold stimuli, biting or chewing pressure, and putting pressure on your gums. Dental X-rays will also be taken together with clinical exams as an adjunctive diagnostic tool.

Home remedies may relieve you of some pain, but they can only do as much. It serves only as a temporary remedy, but it cannot remove the pain’s primary source.

Dental treatments may be performed on pregnant women, given that there are regulations that will be followed. Dentists often suggest that toothaches be treated within the second trimester of your pregnancy.

There are some ways to alleviate pain temporarily at home before visiting your dentist. After cleaning your mouth, rinse it with warm water, making sure to floss the painful area as well to remove any remaining food deposits. You may also use a cold compress placed by your cheek to ease any inflammation or take Tylenol or Ibuprofen to relieve the pain.

Your toothache may cause you further pain after having a meal, giving you a troublesome night. Some food may also worsen the condition of your teeth, causing more pain. Examples of such food are hot, cold, sugary, acidic, or starchy evening meals.

Toothaches are generally not life-threatening but it does not mean that they cannot cause severe conditions even life threatening . If left untreated for a prolonged time, infection can fill airways and even choke the patient.

Oral cavity and particularly teeth are getting invervated from a nerve branch plexus that spreads over to upper and lower teeth and gum. This close proximity of nervous system can result in toothache to be felt almost in multiple areas in severe cases. Determining the cause of pain is only possible after a careful examination by the dentist.

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