Severe tooth pain can be labeled an emergency if the person also experiences fever, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing. For those who have a toothache accompanied by these other symptoms, a dentist should be seen right away. Seek urgent dental care if you experience a severe toothache, accompanied by other serious symptoms.

Individuals with persistent oral pain may require an emergency dental procedure, depending on the type, location, and cause of the pain. Your dentist can rule out certain conditions and perform tests to discover the root cause.

Other Types of Pain Experienced

A range of painful sensations can occur in the mouth for several reasons. Perhaps you have a chip lodged between two teeth that creates pain, or you may have a more serious concern, such as a broken tooth. Broken or fractured teeth presenting with pain are considered an emergency. Although pain levels may vary from person to person, individuals with a broken tooth commonly experience pain.

Sometimes minor issues can lead to toothaches. Despite the minor issue, pain can still be present. If you experience gum irritation, cavities, or infection, pain will likely accompany these issues. In some cases, individuals may not experience pain. In others, the severity of the pain is called into question to determine whether it is isolated or generalized, without pinpointing the source.

Questions to Determine if Your Toothache Is an Emergency

Dentists may ask several questions to those experiencing tooth pain. In fact, there is a specific method referred to as the SOCRATES method.

Using this method, dentists ask important questions to obtain information about an individual’s pain level and medical history. The questions include:

Site: Where is the pain?
Onset: When did it start?
Character: Can you describe the pain?
Radiation: Does the pain spread anywhere?
Associations: Are there other problems associated with the pain?
Time course: Does the pain follow any pattern, and how long does it last?
Exacerbating or relieving factors: Does anything make it worse or better?
Severity: How bad is the pain?

Asking yourself these questions can help you pinpoint the location of your pain. Additionally, when you provide your answers to a dentist, you offer insight that may help them identify the cause of the oral pain.

Types of Oral Pain

Dental pain can range in severity. However, people often cannot pinpoint the location of the pain. Types of oral pain include:

Pain when biting
Pain exacerbated by contact with hot food or liquids, thermal or osmotic stimuli
Pain with swelling

Some of the various causes of dull, throbbing pain include:

Bruxism: the grinding of teeth
Oral ulceration
Food impaction: with bacterial plaque, this can result in gingival inflammation
Dry socket: may present with pain 1-4 days after tooth extraction
Periodontal issues with wisdom teeth
Acute ulcerative gingivitis: this results from a non-contagious infection of the gums that causes bleeding

Those suffering from oral pain should speak with a dentist right away before the condition worsens.

Find Treatment Today

If you experience tooth pain, you may notice that it can be localized to one spot or affect the entire side of your jaw. How your pain presents itself may determine the type of emergency. While some may have severe pain, it may not be labeled as an emergency if over-the-counter medications work to ease the pain or if it dissipates after a few days.

Regardless, if you are experiencing tooth pain, consider visiting a modern dental clinic and speaking with an expert who can help determine the cause. Contact TruGlo Modern Dental today to learn more about our services.