Identify Your Dental Pain – Is It Severe Enough To Opt For Prompt Oral Treatment

How does one categorize the urgency of an oral condition that must be promptly treated? Dr. Karishma Jaradi answers…

Tooth discomfort and uncontrollable pain have an ability to strike at any given point of time either day or night leaving you in seeking emergency oral care. Dental emergencies diverge in severity and indications, however, if left unattended they can deteriorate which can ultimately have undesirable consequences on your overall health and well-being. Ranging from a simple enamel loss to having to endure a grave dental surgery, the magnitudes of side lining a dental emergency can have harsh impacts; hence comprehending the signs you need to look out for can facilitate in avoiding you to misinterpret a dental emergency for a passing concern. Having said that, anyone who has ever gone through a toothache knows its warning signals which include a sharp pinch when biting down or a dull pain post drinking a cold or hot liquid. But in the midst of the pandemic when does dental pain indicate that you must call for an immediate appointment or head to the emergency room?

Taking into consideration the COVID-19 diffusion, aerosol-generating procedures, and the amplified infection risks faced by dental practitioners, it is advised to delay the routine non-essential and elective oral health care services. These include oral health check-ups, dental cleanings, and preventive care which can be postponed till there has been a satisfactory reduction in the rates of the virus spread from community transmission to cluster cases. While the same applies to aesthetic dentistry, only critical or emergency oral health care interventions that are important for guarding a patient’s dental functioning, handling severe pain, or safeguarding the quality of life must be provided. Despite the fact that many dental procedures can be done safely, an important aspect that needs to be considered is to understand if your dental discomfort is severe enough to be treated promptly or can your treatment be postponed. It is significant for patients to identify their pain and decide whether they are in a position to put off the elective procedures for the time being. If an oral healthcare treatment can be scheduled later without causing irreversible damage, dental experts can provide care through tele-dentistry and medication.

Dental experts are recommended to defer non-urgent care, but continue to treat patients for acute oral issues enabling them to keep them out of emergency rooms in the midst of the pandemic. Life-threatening emergencies, such as maxillofacial trauma, uncontrollable oral bleeding, facial inflammation that crosses the midline or effects respiration must be treated as emergencies and need attention on an immediate basis.

Oral condition that must be promptly treated

Uncontrollable toothache: This condition is characteristically instigated due to a sudden swelling of the tooth’s pulp (nerve inside the enamel) and is most commonly triggered by decay.

Dental abscess leading to localized discomfort and inflammation: Severe tooth deterioration is again the probable cause, causing severe damage to the enamel nerve. The bulge may be limited to the gums, or in more grave cases, distension is present on the face or jaw.

Tooth fracture resulting in discomfort: When the enamels biting surface or the side of a tooth are damaged, the enamel may become sensitive causing the sharp edge to cut into the gums, cheek, or tongue. This can be very painful and needs to be treated on an immediate basis.