A guide to understanding and treating toothaches, courtesy of your trusted “ER for teeth”
The experience of an aching tooth can vary from person to person. Without treatment, the same individual can experience far-worse aches and pains. A toothache can truly interfere with every aspect of your life, overshadowing how you eat, sleep, work, and otherwise function. Fortunately, as your emergency dentist, Dr. Drew Boyd can quickly and properly get you out of pain and back to living again!
At Urgent Dental of Denver, we distinguish favorably from other emergency doctors and general dentists in northern and eastern Colorado. Unlike MDs at urgent care practices of the hospital ER, we have the dental qualifications to accurately diagnose and safely administer a range of emergency dentistry services – from extractions of irreparably damaged or impacted teeth to precision root canal therapy to preserve teeth that have sustained deep infections of the dental pulp. And, unlike other dentists’ offices near to us and far away, we have the focused urgent dentistry expertise and technologies to provide the most comfortable and predictable experience and support optimal treatment outcomes. Emergency care is never a “side business” or “service add-on” to us! The proper and prompt resolution of urgent dental needs is front and center at our practice.
A note on pain
Generally, aches and pains are our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. Tooth or dental pain can manifest in a variety of different ways. The patients that we partner with have described:
- Heightened sensitivity or discomfort when biting down or drinking and eating sweet, hot, and cold foods and beverages
- Jarring pain that comes on suddenly when biting down or when teeth are exposed to hot or cold temperatures
- A dull aching feeling and pressure in the upper jaws and sinuses
- Unrelenting and intense pain
When persistent and severe pain is accompanied by swelling of the gums and other parts of the mouth and face, you may have a severe infection or abscess. Abscesses are not to be ignored; they can spread to other parts of the body and are also associated with systemic diseases. If you experience additional problems with breathing or swallowing, this is a medical emergency. Go to the hospital ER immediately.
Trusted treatment for your every need
The other types of discomfort listed above may be caused by a wide range of conditions. Sometimes, these conditions have nothing to do with the teeth! For instance, that dull, achy feeling in the upper jaw may be due to a sinus infection. The sources of pain that we, as emergency dentists, are equipped to treat include:
- Dental erosion or tooth decay
- Worn or damaged fillings (and other restorations)
- Cracks and fractures
- Severe decay or inflammation and infection of the pulp at the center of the tooth
- Gingival inflammation or gum disease
- Loose or dislodged teeth
As you might imagine, treatment for these conditions also varies widely. Dr. Boyd may be able to preserve an aching, damaged tooth with procedures like root canal therapy. Or, if a tooth cannot be preserved, he is happy to discuss the many options available from our office for tooth replacement. These options include modern crowns, bridges, and dentures supported by artificial tooth roots – or dental implants.
If you are concerned about changes to your teeth, call us at (720) 573-2629. Tooth problems do not go away on their own. They require special treatment at Urgent Dental of Denver, CO, to prevent toothaches and associated damage from getting worse.
