Nobody likes a medical emergency, especially when it revolves around the teeth or the mouth, primarily because many people associate a dental emergency with excruciating discomfort which, in itself, can cause many people to try to avoid emergency dental care if possible.

While many forms of dental emergency will cause discomfort, there are others that may not be uncomfortable at all but still require urgent treatment. So how do you know whether what you are experiencing is an emergency or whether it is worth going through dental triage to assess the urgency of an appointment?

At Dublin 18 Dental Rooms, we are extremely proud of our emergency dentist Dublin who will always aim to see you within 24 hours of you contacting our surgery. We set aside emergency appointments every day so that those who need to see our team urgently get access to the care that they need to feel better and go about their day free of discomfort.

With this in mind, how do you know that you are suffering from an emergency dental issue or whether you can skip seeing our emergency dentist Dublin? Read on to find out.

Persistent discomfort

We know we started this article stating that not all dental emergencies cause discomfort, but if you are experiencing persistent levels of soreness or toothache, then you need to see our emergency dentist Dublin urgently.

Persistent discomfort in your mouth can point to a dental abscess, an impacted tooth or even extensive tooth decay that has exposed a nerve. Irrespective of the cause, if you notice soreness or discomfort anywhere in your mouth that is unwavering and causing you to lose sleep, please call our team.

Lost filling or crown

A lost filling or lost crown will usually present with a level of discomfort. However, if it is in a tooth that has had a root canal, you may not notice any soreness at all, making it more important to attend biannual checkups. But if you notice that one of your crowns or fillings has come loose or completely fallen out, then you need to see our team for a same-day appointment to prevent the decay from spreading.

Swelling

Swelling to the face or in the mouth is an indicator that there is an underlying issue, which is usually an oral abscess, an impacted tooth or food intolerance. So if you notice swelling on your face, under your jaw or anywhere in your mouth that has occurred suddenly or gradually, call us for a same-day appointment.

Bleeding

Oral bleeds are not uncommon, especially if you have had a tooth extracted or suffered trauma to your face. If you have a bleed in your mouth that is not slowing down after 20 minutes of applying pressure with clean gauze, you need to see our team to have this remedied.

Cracks and chips

Cracks or chips to the teeth may not seem like a dental emergency; however, much like a filling or crown, they can cause bacteria to gain access to the dentine and allow cavities to set in. So, if you notice that there is a crack or chip in any of your teeth, call our team to book a same-day appointment.