Regular dental visits are critical to your overall health. They allow your dentist to identify any oral problems you may have and provide treatment in good time. However, you may not always have the luxury of seeing your dentist in their normal working hours. Whether it's due to an overbearing work schedule or an emergency dental problem, at one point or another, you might need an after-hours dentist.
Here are 4 reasons you might need an after-hours dentist.
Unexplained Toothache
When a toothache occurs, it's hard to do anything else. You can't sleep or work or even eat. While the unexplained toothache could be a result of virtually anything, sometimes you just can't wait till normal office hours to have it looked at. You need a dentist to relieve your pain immediately.
An after-hours dentist is the best solution for you. It could be a cavity, swollen gums, a broken tooth or something else entirely. Either way, you don't have to wait till you can get an appointment to get a remedy for it.
Bleeding Gums
It's not abnormal for gums to bleed a little after flossing, especially if you are currently under treatment for gum disease. However, if the bleeding persists and is extreme, it's important to get dental care immediately, especially if it's accompanied by swelling and pain.
Extreme bleeding could be an indication that your gum disease has escalated to periodontal disease. If you have bleeding gums, ensure you reach out to an after-hours dentist to have it managed as soon as possible.
Broken Tooth
If your tooth chips and you don't experience any pain, you don't need to call an emergency dentist. However, a knocked-out permanent or broken tooth causes extreme pain. If this accident or incident happens after hours, you may not have the luxury of time.
With a knocked-out tooth, you only have a few minutes to an hour to save the tooth. Seeking an after-hours dentist will not only help you with pain management, but it may also help you save your tooth.
Swollen Gums or Jaw
If you're in a fight or an accident that causes a high impact on your mouth, you may end up with tongue lacerations or a swollen jaw or gums. Other times, the swelling is unexplained but still causing you an incredible amount of pain and discomfort.
Swelling could be a result of an infection referred to as a dental abscess. It requires immediate treatment before it spreads to the rest of your mouth and may require surgery for treatment. If this swelling starts to occur after normal working hours, an after-hours dentist will provide you with the emergency care you need, including draining the infection so it can heal.
With any dental condition, the sooner you see a dentist the better. In extreme cases such as these, you may not have the option. Ensure you have the contacts of an emergency dentist on standby.
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