Emergency Dental Boise ID - Urgent and Non-Urgent Dental Cases
Pain is highly subjective. Some can tolerate it well while others cannot. But when it comes to dental cases, we at Emergency Dental Boise do not advise enduring pain for dental emergencies that must be addressed as soon as possible.
Being able to identify what situation requires urgent intervention can prevent long-term damage. However, most people do not know which dental cases require emergency treatments and which can wait. Here is a list of urgent and non-urgent issues that require the immediate involvement of professionals.
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Urgent Dental Care:
Cases that require immediate treatment are those that are potentially life-threatening.
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Deep Dental Caries
Deep dental caries are caused by bacterial infection, and these can bring much pain to a patient. If the patient’s pain is not relieved through antibiotics, the patient would have to go through an emergency tooth extraction.
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Dental Abscess
A dental or tooth abscess is a collection of pus that forms inside the teeth or gums. An abscess is caused by a bacterial infection that results from a deep cavity, gum disease, or a cracked tooth. You can suspect a dental abscess if you experience a throbbing pain around the tooth that may radiate to your jaw or other parts of your face. You may also notice symptoms like fever, sensitivity to hot or cold liquids or food, gum redness, swollen lymph nodes, difficulty swallowing, and even trouble breathing.
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Uncontrolled bleeding
Uncontrolled bleeding in the mouth that does not stop after a few seconds or within 20 minutes is considered a dental emergency. The most common cause of uncontrolled bleeding is trauma. Not being able to control bleeding in the oral area is also indicative of a periodontal disease or lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
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Cellulitis or Soft-Tissue Injury
An injury may be caused by an accident while playing contact sports, vehicular accidents, eating or drinking something scalding, or biting down too hard. Cuts, punctures, lacerations, and bruises may result in swelling, which can affect breathing.
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Replacement of Temporary Fillings
Temporary fillings are inserted after treating dental caries before final fillings are put. Sometimes, these get washed out. This exposes the tissues of the affected tooth, which may cause severe pain.
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Orthopedic Adjustment for Appliances
Braces, crowns, or bridges that become loose and ill-fitting can cut through tissues in the mouth. These should therefore be treated immediately to prevent further damage.
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Non-Urgent Dental Care
Orthodontic procedures that do not address pain, infection and trauma are considered non-urgent. This includes routine dental cleaning, X-rays, extraction of teeth not causing pain, and consultations or procedures for aesthetic reasons (veneers, dentures, dental implants, and teeth whitening). Dull toothaches that can be relieved by over-the-counter pain medications are also not considered urgent. Seeking professional attention becomes necessary, however, if the pain persists for days.
Seeking urgent dental care?
Contact Emergency Dental Boise at the number provided on this page. We provide emergency dental services for residents of Boise and neighboring areas.