Have you ever had an unbearably severe toothache that left you wondering if it was time to seek emergency dental care? Sometimes when you are in pain, it is hard to know what to do first.
This blog will help you learn what to do about a severe toothache, when to call an emergency dentist, and how to decide between going to the emergency room and your local dentist.
What Should You Do When You Have a Severe Toothache?
Toothaches can have many causes that range from something being stuck between your teeth to a full-on abscess. If you have good dental hygiene and suddenly experience tooth pain not caused by direct trauma to the tooth, the issue could be related to sinus problems.
When you have a sudden and severe toothache, it is a good idea to rinse with warm (not hot) water and floss your teeth. This should remove any particles caught between teeth that could be the culprit of pain.
You may also use over-the-counter pain relievers to treat the symptoms of a severe toothache at home. Remember that this is not a long-term treatment option. Over-the-counter pain medicines can damage the stomach and liver when taken for long periods of time.
Even if you treat tooth pain at home and it goes away, you should still schedule an appointment with your local dentist. This is because tooth pain is only a symptom. Whatever has caused the toothache still needs to be discovered and treated, or the problem will continue to get worse.
When Should You Call an Emergency Dentist for a Severe Toothache?
If your pain is truly unbearable and not relieved by over-the-counter pain medicine, you should call an emergency dentist. Additionally, if you are experiencing lasting throbbing pain or have a fever, you should schedule an emergency dental visit. This is because the tooth could be infected, which can easily turn into a serious medical concern.
If blood or pus is coming from a hurting tooth, it is necessary to get professional dental help right away.
Should You See an Emergency Dentist or go to the Hospital Emergency Department?
An emergency doctor at the hospital can treat severe pain by giving you pain medicine. They can also give you antibiotics for infected teeth. However, hospitals are not usually equipped with the necessary implements to handle dental problems, including a severe toothache.
The emergency department at a hospital can treat dental problems by stabilizing the patient, but they do not provide dental treatments. This means that your pain will come back and the problem will worsen until you see your local dentist.
If you have sustained trauma affecting more than your teeth, you should go to the emergency room first. Otherwise, it is best to seek the help of an emergency dentist. An emergency dentist can treat the root cause of the problem and help you restore your dental health with a solid treatment plan.
A dentist can provide treatment for a severe toothache, broken teeth, or lost fillings and even provide tooth extraction or a root canal, which a hospital is not designed to do.
Emergency Dentist in Beverly Hills
If you are experiencing unbearable tooth pain, there is help available. Visit the Dental Group of Beverly Hills online or call (310) 929-6335 to schedule an appointment. And, if it’s been a while since you’ve visited a dentist or had any dental services in Beverly Hills, give us a call, and we’ll get you in to make sure everything looks good!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stop a severe toothache fast at home?
Rinse with warm water, floss gently around the painful tooth to clear trapped debris, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever according to the label. These steps manage symptoms only. They do not treat the cause, so schedule a dental exam even if the pain stops.
Is a severe toothache a dental emergency?
It can be. Call an emergency dentist if the pain is not relieved by over-the-counter medicine, if it throbs constantly, if you have a fever, or if there is blood or pus near the tooth. Those signs can point to an infection that needs prompt treatment.
Should I go to the ER for a toothache?
Go to the emergency room first if you have facial trauma, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling spreading toward your eye or neck. For tooth pain alone, an emergency dentist is generally the better choice, because a hospital can manage pain and infection but does not perform dental treatment.
Can a severe toothache go away on its own?
The pain can fade, but that often means the nerve inside the tooth has died rather than that the problem has resolved. The underlying decay, crack, or infection remains and generally continues to progress until a dentist treats it.
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