It’s late, and your tooth pain is unbearable. Or, your child’s been playing outside on a Sunday afternoon and comes in with a bloody mouth and a worrying crack in their tooth.
If you’re not a trained dental care specialist, knowing whether your aching or cracked tooth needs emergency treatment can be tricky. And if you do decide to seek dental treatment, you might not know which emergency dentists in Manchester offer the best care.
Below, we list common problems that require an emergency dentist and share advice on when to book emergency dental treatment. Here’s what you need to know about high-stakes dental emergencies.
Situations that require an emergency dentist
We’d recommend an emergency dental appointment for these types of complaints:
Intense toothaches
A dull toothache that doesn’t cause much discomfort can be treated during regular business hours. You shouldn’t ignore it, but you can book a routine appointment with your dentist and skip the emergency dental team.
But severe pain that doesn’t go away requires an emergency dental service. The pain may be caused by decay, infection, or gum disease, and an emergency dentist needs to find the root cause immediately to administer treatment and provide relief.
Any infection, even an oral infection, can cause sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection. When it’s treated quickly and properly, patients will recover. But if it’s left too long, sepsis becomes serious and potentially lethal. Booking an emergency dentist appointment for serious tooth pain is vital.
Broken or chipped teeth
Even a tiny chip from a tooth can cause serious oral problems if you delay treatment. Chipping and cracking can lead to nerve damage, infection, and pain, putting you at risk for serious health complications.
If a chipped or broken tooth is not addressed quickly, it can become a “dead” tooth. Dead teeth turn grey, which means they require more extensive cosmetic treatment to improve their appearance. Promptly treating a chipped or cracked tooth minimises the risk it will turn grey or become infected.
Knocked-out teeth
No one likes to think about having a tooth knocked out! But it happens, and it definitely requires emergency dentistry.
If you act quickly, an emergency dentist can often reinsert and preserve the tooth, But if you wait too long to address your knocked-out tooth, it may not be possible to reinstate it, and you’ll be more vulnerable to infection and dental pain.
Lost fillings or crowns
When a crown or filling falls out, your tooth is left exposed to chewing, food debris, and temperature extremes. Without protection, the original cavity can get worse and cause excruciating tooth pain.
A trained emergency dentist can provide a temporary solution to your lost filling or crown. Then, you can discuss permanent solutions when the emergency has passed and your pain is under control.
Severe gum or jaw pain
Pain in your gum or jaw can be a sign of infection, such as a dental abscess. You’ll need emergency attention to make sure the infection doesn’t spread to other parts of your mouth or beyond.
Again, dental infections can cause lethal medical conditions like sepsis, and your body can go from tolerating the pain to fighting for survival in a matter of hours. If you have severe gum or jaw pain, don’t delay treatment.
Soft tissue damage
Cuts or lacerations to the gum, tongue, or cheek can cause bleeding and possibly lead to infection. Don’t risk bleeding gums or an infected mouth. Seek urgent dental care before your situation gets worse or infection sets in.
Why do some patients ignore dental emergencies?
It’s common for patients to avoid seeking dental care, even in emergencies. Here’s why:
Nervous patients
Some patients deeply fear visiting the dentist, even when their dental problems require swift action.
We work to calm patients’ fears with a welcoming reception area, friendly staff, and sure-footed professionalism. And for patients who are extremely scared of the dentist, we offer sedation dentistry for a more comfortable, fear-free experience.
Cost
Patients may delay emergency dental care because they’re worried about the cost. But we want to make sure you get the help you need without delay. That’s why our practice doesn’t put a premium on emergency care. Emergency treatments are within the same price range as in-hours treatments.
We also offer a monthly treatment plan that provides discounts on preventative dental care for a low monthly fee. The plan allows your dentist to identify potential risks to your oral health before they become an emergency.
How do you book an emergency appointment?
Not every dental practice offers emergency appointments. But at Love-Teeth, we know that accidents happen and sometimes you need emergency help, so we offer out-of-hours care to our patients. For urgent dental care, you can rely on the experienced emergency dentist Manchester residents trust.
We’ve made it easy to contact our on-call staff. Simply ring our regular patient phone number — 0161 773 7080 — and our after-hours answering service will connect you with our emergency dentist.
When should I go straight to A&E?
If you’re experiencing severe swelling or pain, go directly to the Accident & Emergency department. Dental injuries that become seriously infected may need treatment that addresses your whole-body health or require heavy-hitting antibiotics to clear infections and reduce the risk of sepsis.
Don’t hesitate to call us about your dental emergency
Your dental health care needs don’t stop at the weekend! If you need care immediately, call the best emergency dentists Manchester has to offer — the fantastic team at Love-Teeth!
We know that emergency dental care can be scary, but you’re in good hands at Love-Teeth. We’ll work to make your emergency treatment as comfortable as possible and get you back to full dental health in no time.
We’re the Manchester emergency dental clinic that you can count on for expert dental care, no matter when you need it. Call 0161 773 7080.
