1. You drink a cold beverage and—yowza—it generates a shooting pain!
When a cavity has eroded enamel it eventually contacts the layer under the enamel. This is called the dentin. The dentin contains tiny tubules. A cold (or acidic) liquid that flows into the tubules can get close enough to the nerve to make you wake up and pay attention.
Call your urgent care dentist. You may have a serious cavity.
2. You bite down forcibly and—yikes—severe pain!
This could be a sign of an infection or abscess in the pulp of the tooth. It could also be caused by a microscopic crack in the tooth. Either way, you need to have it taken care of.
Call your urgent care dentist, you may need a root canal.
3. Suddenly—uh oh—a tooth is loose!
Unless you are five years old and still have your baby teeth, it’s not normal to suddenly feel that a tooth is loose. It could be the result of an injury to the tooth. The impact could have stretched some of the small ligaments that hold the tooth in place. What if you don’t remember hurting a tooth? You could be grinding your teeth at night while you sleep. Nighttime teeth grinding can damage enamel and cause severe headaches.
It could also be periodontitis. Periodontal disease is caused by a bacterial infection that can destroy both gum tissue and the ligaments that hold the teeth in place.
Call your urgent care dentist to make an appointment to get it checked out.
Don’t ignore these dental problems
Many dread seeking relief from a dentist because they fear the treatment will hurt worse than the pain they are experiencing. Waiting too long to care for your teeth can cause serious health dilemmas—and not just in your mouth. We understand how stressful it is to have a toothache, loose tooth, or other pressing dental dilemma.
Ask us about sedation dentistry
If you have dental anxiety, Marcos Ortega DDS offers several solutions including sedation dentistry. We can also use anti-anxiety agents to quiet your fears and make your dental visit as safe and relaxed as possible.
Contact Marcos Ortega DDS:
619-295-4545
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
306 Walnut Ave Ste 25
San Diego, California
92103