When to contact your dentist in Hastings in an emergency

Perhaps the most common problem faced by patients is knowing whether their current dental issue is an emergency or not. In most cases waiting until a pre-arranged appointment in a few days should be fine, however, sometimes getting in sooner might be the only way to save your teeth and gums.

That’s why our team has come up with a few signs to watch out for that might indicate you should book an emergency appointment with your dentist in Hastings.

Any abnormal changes in the mouth

If you notice any abnormal changes in your mouth, including red and white patches, lumps and swellings in the mouth or head and neck area or any ulcers which do not heal within three weeks time, it is imperative that you contact your dentist as soon as possible to get it checked out. These are the possible signs of mouth cancer; your dentist in Hastings, at Warrior Square Dental Practice, will check you regularly for these signs during your regular dental check-ups. However if you spot any of these signs in between your dental check-ups then it is important to contact your dentist immediately to get it checked out.

For further information about mouth cancer please visit www.mouthcancer.org.

Damage or loss of a tooth

The most common reason to get in touch with your dentist is if you have any badly damaged or cracked teeth or somehow one or more has been recently knocked out either through injury or an accident. Badly damaged teeth are exposed to the bacteria and plaque in your mouth, so the longer they are left untreated the higher your chances of contracting an infection inside the tooth will become.

In the case of losing a tooth due to a trauma or an accident, if you still have it your dentist may even be able to reinsert it as long as it wasn’t too badly damaged when it was knocked out. For further details please visit www.dentalhealth.org/knocked-out-teeth.

Intense or prolonged toothache

Another reason for booking an emergency appointment with your dentist in Hastings is if you’re experiencing any sharp or ongoing pain in your teeth that isn’t subsiding after 24 hours or with the use of painkillers. Feelings of discomfort, especially if it’s debilitating, should never be ignored as it could be a sign of something far more serious hidden just underneath. The sooner our team can diagnose the issue, the quicker they can ease off those symptoms that are causing you grief.

Swollen gums

Swelling in your gums is never a good sign as inflammation of the gums may be a sign that there’s an infection setting in. It can also be an indicator of gum disease and if that goes unchecked it can lead to further infection and eventually tooth loss.

At Warrior Square Dental Practice our highly trained team of experts will diagnose your problem quickly to get you back on the path to a healthy set of teeth and gums in no time at all.

Continuous or regular bleeding

You should never ignore blood coming out of any part of your body, your teeth and gums should be no different as bleeding between teeth or on the gum line itself can be another indicator of oral issues setting in. Normally increasing or improving your regular oral health care routine as well as regular visits to the hygienist can lessen these symptoms over time, but if the bleeding persists then we recommend that you get in touch immediately.

These are just a few signs that you should contact our team in an emergency. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms we just mentioned above then don’t hesitate to get in touch as the longer you leave it, the worse it could get. If you are unsure about any of the information we’ve provided then just get in touch with your dentist for a regular check-up and a chat about your oral health.