Dominion Dental Spa: Emergency Toothache

At Dominion Dental, we understand that emergencies happen.  We understand the urgent nature of them.  If you planned for it, it would not be an emergency.  We, however, do plan for emergencies.  We set aside time each day, an empty spot on our schedule that is held specifically for someone who may call or walk in with an emergency toothache.

What Does an Emergency Visit Involve?

• Limited Oral Evaluation – Dr. Bushong performs a thorough evaluation of the area you are concerned with. This evaluation gathers the information he needs to make a diagnosis of the cause of your toothache and a plan for the treatment necessary to relieve it.  This evaluation may involve other areas of your mouth and jaws to determine the exact source of your pain.
• X-rays – Dental x-rays are an essential part of any dental exam. In some cases of large cavities, an x-ray is not necessary to diagnose the decay.  An x-ray is necessary to diagnose the presence of infection and inflammation resulting from a large cavity.  The x-ray completes the picture that Dr. Bushong needs to see before he is equipped to recommend the appropriate treatment options.
• Prescription Medications – In cases of tooth infections, antibiotics are necessary to help your body prevent it from spreading. Prescription antibiotics keep things from getting worse until the treatment is complete.  They also lower the pain of a toothache within 24-48 hours.
• “Palliative” Treatment – Palliative means treating the symptoms. Sometimes, we can do a small treatment that will lessen your symptoms.  This often takes the form of a temporary filling to seal off the nerve inside the tooth, which relieves sensitivity.  A local anesthetic injection to numb the toothache is also a palliative treatment.

Why is an Emergency Visit Important?

When it comes to preventive dentistry, we tell patients not to wait until something hurts to seek help.  When it comes to a toothache, we want you to come see us as soon as you notice a problem.  Most dental problems get progressively worse with time.  Seeking help when you first experience the toothache can simply your treatment options and prevent the problem from developing into a big health problem.

There are rare cases when a tooth infection spreads to the brain or into the blood stream and causes death.  An emergency visit with your dentist often prevents an emergency visit to the hospital!

What Is The Most Important Thing to Know About Emergency Visits?

We are committed to caring for people in pain.  Our goal is to do whatever we can to alleviate your pain and keep you from experiencing a dangerous situation.  Even if the pain is relieved, treatment is still necessary to correct the problem that caused the toothache in the first place.  Some patients mistakenly think that once the pain is gone, there is no need for dental treatment.

This is a dangerous myth!  If an infection is present, it must be treated whether there is pain or not.  Leaving an infected tooth untreated can lead to a serious and dangerous emergency situation.

The most important thing you, as the patient, must do is follow instructions and follow through with treatment.