If you find yourself in either of the following situations, you should locate and book an appointment with an emergency dentist immediately.

You have knocked out a tooth

One of the most common reasons people find themselves in need of the help of an emergency dentist is because one of their teeth has been knocked out.

This are several reasons why this type of dental injury requires emergency treatment. Firstly, it often results in gum lacerations, which can allow dangerous pathogens inside the person's mouth to enter their bloodstream, via these open wounds. This, in turn, can put a person at risk of sepsis, an extremely serious infection of the blood.

Secondly, the pulp inside the tooth root, which contains all of the tooth's living tissues, including connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves, will rapidly deteriorate and die if it kept out of the mouth for too long.

Once the pulp is dead, there is no way for a dentist to save the tooth. Instead, they will need to replace it with an implant or a denture.

As such, if you suffer any form of facial trauma which results in your tooth being ejected from your mouth, it is extremely important to head to your local emergency dentist as soon as possible. This will not only ensure that you do not develop a serious infection but will also increase the chances of the dentist being able to re-implant and save your tooth.

You have an extremely painful toothache

Generally speaking, a mildly-painful toothache does not call for an appointment with an emergency dentist. However, if you are experiencing extreme pain and have also started to develop swelling on the side of your face where the tooth is located, you should book an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible.

The reason for this is that swelling and severe tooth pain are often symptoms of an infection known as an abscess. If it is not treated promptly with antibiotics and root canal therapy, the inflammation an abscess causes can damage the above-mentioned pulp inside the tooth root to the point where the tooth has to be pulled.

An untreated abscess may also infect other oral tissues and even spread to the jawbone. This can not only be extremely painful but also lead to long-term health complications, including deterioration of the bone tissue.

This type of damage to the jawbone can affect not only the appearance of a person's face but can also negatively impact their dental health.