What Will the Emergency Dentist Do for a Tooth Infection?

A tooth infection can be an unpleasant experience, as it can bring on nasty symptoms such as severe tooth pain, swelling and bleeding.

One of the reasons why tooth infection can occur is due to tooth decay. Research has shown that nearly a third of the British population is suffering from untreated tooth decay, which subsequently increases their risk of developing tooth infection.

The first step to resolving a tooth infection is booking an emergency dentist appointment. But exactly what will the emergency dentist do for a tooth infection?

In this article, we will provide the key facts as to how an emergency dentist can help patients with a tooth infection.

What is an emergency dentist?

An emergency dentist is trained specifically to deal with tooth emergencies.

What counts as a tooth emergency? This is a tooth problem which requires immediate attention from a dental professional, in order to minimise the risk of serious medical complications or prevent long-term dental complications.

Many emergency dentists (such as us at Didsbury Dental Practice) offer out-of-hours emergency care so that patients can access these services outside of 9-to-5 working hours.

If you need urgent dental treatment, call your dentist, as they may be able to offer you an emergency appointment. You will usually be seen immediately or within 24 hours.

If the dental practice is closed, then their answerphone message will advise you on what to do.

If you don’t have a dentist, or you cannot find an emergency dental appointment, use the NHS 111 online or telephone service, and the telephone operator will direct you to the appropriate services.

What are the signs of a tooth infection?

Here are the symptoms to look out for:

Excruciating pain in the teeth or gums, which doesn’t go away with painkillers.
Tooth pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck, on the same side as the affected tooth or gum.
Tooth pain which worsens when chewing, drinking, or lying down.
Stiff neck.
Open, oozing sore on the gums.
Swelling and redness of your gums, jaw and face.
Sensitivity to very hot or very cold food and drinks.
High temperature.
Foul or bitter taste in the mouth or foul-smelling breath.
Increased heart rate.
General feeling of discomfort or illness.

What are signs that a tooth infection has spread to the body?

If your tooth infection spreads to other areas of your body, this can be dangerous.

You should visit A&E as soon as possible if your tooth infection also brings additional symptoms such as:

Fever
Chills
Nausea or vomiting
Swollen neck glands
Trouble breathing or swallowing
Blurry vision

What will the emergency dentist do for a tooth infection?

Emergency dentists have the knowledge, equipment and experience as to how to resolve any type of tooth infection.

You are in safe hands when you make an emergency dentist appointment. The dentist will be able to examine you thoroughly, take action to fix the issue, prescribe any medications, and offer you the best advice and aftercare.

You wouldn’t receive this highly detailed examination and treatment from your GP or your local Accident & Emergency department, as these medical professionals do not have the specialist knowledge of dentistry that dentists have.

That is why it is imperative to turn to a dental professional in the event of a tooth infection.

So, what will the emergency dentist do for a tooth infection?

The emergency dentist can:

Stop any excessive bleeding.
Treat any tooth infections.
Extract a tooth.
Minimise any long-term damage to the teeth, gum, or mouth.
Offer the appropriate care and advice if you have excessive tooth pain, facial swelling, gum disease or tooth decay.
Carry out incision and drainage or emergency root canal treatment if you have a dental abscess.
Carry out a hygiene treatment, which includes plaque removal, descaling, gum health checks, and removal of calculus above the gums.
Prescribe antibiotics to treat a dental abscess or tooth infection.
Offer an emergency filling.
Re-insert an avulsed tooth, knocked-out tooth, or dislodged crown.
Fix a chipped or broken tooth.
Refer you for further examinations or treatment, if the problem is more serious.

Why does tooth infection happen?

A tooth infection can occur due to:

a bacterial infection.
tooth decay or an untreated dental cavity.
an injury to the mouth.
previous dental work: for example, a teeth cleaning or root canal may cause bleeding and an opening, so bacteria can enter the body through this.
through close contact with someone who has an oral bacterial infection (e.g. through sharing food, using their kitchen utensils, and even kissing.)

What are home remedies to deal with a tooth infection?

If you have a tooth infection, you should always follow the advice of your dentist or doctor.

Follow these at-home methods to ease swelling, pain and discomfort:

Rinse your mouth with saltwater, taking care not to swallow. Children should never do this, however.
Apply a cold compress, or ice cubes, to your cheek or jaw, to ease swelling.
Take an over-the-counter medication, exactly as directed on the packet instructions.
Dip a cotton ball or cotton bud in clove oil, tea tree oil, or lavender oil, and gently apply it to the affected area in your mouth; these essential oils can help alleviate pain and promote healing.
Rinse your mouth with peppermint tea. You can make the tea by pouring boiling water over dried peppermint leaves, or a peppermint tea bag. When you rinse, make sure that the tea is at a lukewarm or cool temperature, and not boiling hot, as it is dangerous to rinse with scalding hot water.
It may not sound appetizing, but chewing on an onion may bring you relief. Onions are a natural antiseptic and can effectively eliminate germs in the mouth.

Where can I get an emergency dental appointment?

At Didsbury Dental Practice, our emergency dental care is second to none.

Our emergency dental care service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including on Bank Holidays and Christmas Day.

Our team of dental professionals can provide treatment for any type of dental emergency: from severe toothache and tooth infections to broken teeth, lost fillings or gum inflammation.

Didsbury Dental Practice has got you covered, at any time of day or night. Dental emergencies can be very painful, so we offer out-of-hours treatment because we know that dental problems don’t always stick to 9.00 am to 12.00 am.

To book an emergency appointment with us, it is not necessary for you to be an existing patient at our practice.

If you experience a dental emergency, simply call our dental emergency helpline on 0161 413 2509, or walk into our dental practice, and we will aim to see you as soon as possible.

Click here to learn more about the emergency dental care offered at Didsbury Dental Practice.

About Didsbury Dental Practice

We are a 24-hour emergency dentist in South Manchester. Our team is highly experienced, and we deliver a level of patient comfort like no other dental practice. Every patient is treated with the most sophisticated care in a truly relaxed atmosphere.

In addition, all of our staff are multi-lingual. Languages spoken at our dental practice include German, French, Polish, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.

If you need an emergency appointment, call our dental emergency helpline on 0161 413 2835, or walk into our practice and we will aim to see you as soon as possible.

We offer a wide range of dental services and treatments, including teeth whitening, Invisalign, Alias lingual braces, Six Month Smiles Braces and Damon Clear Braces.

To learn more about Didsbury Dental Practice, visit our website here.

Check out our blog to read more articles on all things dental health.

We hope this article has answered the question, ‘what will the emergency dentist do for a tooth infection?’