Pain
is the main symptom that brings people to
the dentist. A tooth may suddenly become
sensitive to heat or cold. Chewing may cause
a tooth to hurt. A filling may have fallen
out, leaving behind a throbbing ache. Any
injury to the teeth or gums is potentially
serious. Apart from the fact that even minor
dental emergencies can cause excruciating
pain, there's always a risk of damage to nerves
or blood vessels and of infections, which
can become life threatening. If you ignore
dental pain, you're taking a chance because
delays in treatment may significantly increase
the risk of permanent damage. And that could
lead to the need for more extensive and expensive
treatment later. At one time, there were few
options for dental emergencies: The main solution
was to remove damaged teeth. Now you can benefit
from tremendous advances in pain management
and restorative techniques. Teeth can be repaired
with synthetic materials that are durable
and cosmetically equal to the natural material.
New imaging techniques make it easier for
Dr Perry to identify the problems and Dr Perry
can almost always reduce or eliminate pain
within a few minutes.
When
To Call Your Dentist
If
you're not sure if a dental problem is an emergency,
we offer this advice to you: If it hurts, it's an
emergency. This is because even injuries
that appear superficial may affect the vital, living
tissues inside the teeth. Quick treatment vastly
improves the odds of saving the injured or damaged
tooth or teeth. Even if you aren't experiencing
much pain, any structural damage to a tooth - from
a sports injury, for example - should be considered
an emergency. Chips or fractures can affect the
living tissue inside the tooth, causing future problems.
Dr Perry can prevent it from getting worse. The
same is true of a lost filling or crown. Even if
you don't have any symptoms, the loss of the structural
support makes additional damage likely. If you see
you're the dentist right away, there's a good chance
we will be able to repair the damage with a minimum
of treatment. If you wait, the tooth may get progressively
weaker, pieces may break off or the tooth may crumble,
requiring a more extensive treatment.
Severe
Pain
Any
traumatic injury to the gums or teeth can cause
excruciating pain. In other cases, however,
the underlying cause of severe pain is not obvious.
Pain that comes on suddenly may be caused by particles
of food that lodge in a cavity and irritate the
nerve. If you lose a filling or a crown, you may
feel severe pain when air or hot or cold substances
hit the uncovered part of the tooth. Pain that slowly
becomes more severe over a period of time is commonly
caused by debris lodged under the gum. Popcorn is
a common offender. Because the hard cellulose fibers
of the kernel doesn't break down, it can remain
stuck between your gum and your tooth. The longer
any substance irritates the tissue, the worse the
pain gets. Should the area get infected, you could
develop an infection called an abscess that can
become a serious health problem if left untreated.
Pain when you bite, especially if it is accompanied
by a foul odor, can be a sign of an abscess that
needs immediate treatment.
What
You Can Do First, call
631-654-0707 and make an appointment.
In
the interim, here are a few steps you can take at
home to try to relieve some of the pain: Take ibuprofen,
aspirin or another over-the-counter analgesic.
However, be aware that you need to seek dental care
immediately. If you mask the pain with a painkiller
and ignore it, the infection can spread and could
become life threatening. If you can tell where the
pain is coming from, brush the area or flood it
with warm salt water, either by swishing it around
your mouth or by using an irrigation device such
as a water pick. If the pain is caused by debris
lodged in a cavity, washing the area may relieve
the problem. Floss your teeth, This may remove debris
that's lodged under the gum. Apply an ice pack to
your cheek or jaw to relieve discomfort.
What
We Will Do
Even
when dental problems cause a lot of pain, the underlying
problems? and the treatments? often are relatively
simple if you seek treatment right away.
If you have a cavity, we will clean out any debris,
remove the decayed tooth structure and place a filling.
Once the inner part of the tooth is protected, the
pain will usually disappear immediately. If your
problem is related to debris under your gums, we
will use special instruments to remove the debris.
If you have an infection, you may be given a prescription
for antibiotics.
An
abscess in the tooth or gum may require more extensive
treatment.
