Do you have a toothache that is keeping you awake?
At Harley Street Dental Clinic, our dentist W1 is proud to offer emergency dental treatment to all our patients as well as a triage service for those who are uncertain whether they require urgent dental care.
Here, our dentist W1 runs through the most common reasons why people seek out emergency dental treatment.
Discomfort
A universal indicator that you need to see our emergency dentist W1 is if you are in discomfort.
If this discomfort has come on suddenly or has been gradually creeping up, you still need to seek help since oral discomfort can be indicative of anything from a dental abscess to a lost filling.
So, if you have a toothache that is distracting you, call our team!
Ulcers
Many people have experienced ulcers, especially when they have been unwell or stressed.
And whilst there is nothing inherently urgent about an ulcer in your mouth, if you notice that they are recurring or one of them is larger than a 5 pence piece, then you should seek emergency medical attention from our dental team.
Ulcers that are large or persistent can be an indicator of oral cancer, so it is best to get them checked out as early as possible.
Swelling
Swelling to the face, neck, gums or jaw should always be treated as some kind of emergency, especially if it seems to develop quickly.
Once again, even if this swelling does not hurt and you can identify the cause of the swelling, you will still need to seek medical attention from our emergency team. In most cases, oral swelling is linked to an abscess, a food allergy or even an impacted tooth, all of which need urgent treatment.
If you have a swelling that is preventing you from eating or drinking, seek emergency treatment from your nearest hospital.
Lost restorative
If you have fillings or crowns, there is a high chance that after 10 years, they may come loose or fall out. This likelihood increases if your fillings or crowns are made from amalgam or have a metal element in them as these expand and contract with hot and cold liquids.
You may have heard that losing a filling or crown is uncomfortable; however, this is not always the case. So, if you notice that you have lost a filling or crown, do not delay in seeking emergency treatment, even if there is no pain.
We will always aim to restore the lost filling or crown, and provided that there has not been a delay in treatment, we will rarely have to perform any work that is more extensive or invasive.
Bleeding
If you have recently had blunt force trauma to your face, then some bleeding is to be expected.
However, if you have applied pressure to the source of the bleed (with clean gauze) for around 20 minutes and it is still bleeding, then you will need to book yourself in to see our emergency team.
We will aim to stem the flow of the bleed and treat the underlying cause; should that be an injury, we may apply stitches.
If you are uncertain whether you have a dental emergency, please contact our team for advice.