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Posts Tagged ‘Symptoms’

What counts as a dental emergency and when should I call my dentist?

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

Dental emergencies can happen at any time, in any place. If you find yourself needing urgent help, don’t hesitate to reach out. At the moment, when practices are running reduced services and patients are worried about the Covid-19 crisis, people may be more reluctant to seek help. The message from dentists is that emergency help is available. 

What counts as a dental emergency?

There are many different types of dental ailments and some require swifter or more intensive action than others. Minor problems, such as toothache, a small chip in the tooth and tooth sensitivity, need treating, but there’s no need to seek emergency assistance. Call your local dental practice and arrange an appointment to see your dentist at a time that is convenient to you. Severe issues, such as broken teeth, intense pain, which is affecting day to day life or getting worse, severe swelling and excessive bleeding caused by facial injuries, require urgent treatment. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your dentist as soon as possible. It’s also crucial to seek advice from your dentist or your GP if you are worried about symptoms associated with oral cancer, such as abnormal lumps or swelling and mouth sores and ulcers that take a long time (more than 2 weeks) to heal. 

If you’ve been injured or involved in a traumatic accident, which is causing facial swelling that is impacting your vision or your ability to breathe, you are bleeding heavily after an incident, or you experience loss of consciousness or vomiting, call 999. 

What happens when you see an emergency dentist?

Dental professionals understand that accidents happen, and practices have emergency appointments available to ensure that teams can treat patients promptly. If you need urgent help, all you have to do is contact your dental practice and provide some information about your symptoms. If you need assistance during practice hours, you will be given an appointment at the earliest possible opportunity. If you need help outside of standard working hours, you can call NHS 111 or contact your practice and listen to instructions on the answering service. Some practices offer out of hours care. In extreme circumstances, for example, when an individual sustains severe facial injuries, it may be necessary to visit Accident and Emergency. 

When you go for your emergency dental appointment, your dentist will ask you some questions about your symptoms and then examine your mouth to determine the underlying cause and possible treatment options. You may need an X-ray. The priority is to prevent the situation from getting worse and to alleviate pain. Your dentist may prescribe painkillers or antibiotics, depending on the diagnosis. After your appointment, it may be necessary to book another treatment session. If you broke a tooth, for example, you may have a temporary crown fitted and your dentist will advise you to visit again to place a permanent crown on the tooth. 

Summary

Dental emergencies can affect anyone, and they often happen when you least expect them. Times are strange at the moment, but dentists are keen to ensure that patients understand that they can access emergency care. If you have pain that is getting worse, you’ve been in an accident, or your mouth is swollen and the inflammation isn’t easing with medication, don’t hesitate to contact your dentist. 

Know the Signs of Oral Cancer: Common Symptoms To Look For

Thursday, April 27th, 2017

shutterstock_482648263The number of cases of oral cancer diagnosed in the UK has risen by over a third in the last ten years, but many people ae still unaware of the warning signs. Do you know the symptoms of oral cancer? If you don’t, you’ve come to the right place.

What are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

Even though oral cancer has become increasingly common, many people still don’t know what kinds of symptoms they should be looking out for, and this means that many cases are diagnosed at a ate stage when treatment is much less likely to be successful. To improve survival rates, it’s essential that more people know about the potential warning signs of oral cancer. These include:

  • Abnormal swelling in the mouth or lumps in the mouth or throat
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Unexplained oral bleeding or pain in the mouth or throat
  • Persistent sore throat
  • Red or white patches in the mouth
  • Sores or ulcers that take longer than 2 weeks to heal
  • Numbness in the mouth
  • Unexplained weight loss

If you notice any of these symptoms, see your GP as quickly as possible. It’s very unlikely that there is anything to worry about, but it’s always best to be on the safe side.

Reducing your Risk of Oral Cancer

The most common risk factors for oral cancer are smoking and drinking regularly. If you’re a smoker and a heavy drinker, you’re more than 30 times more likely to develop oral cancer than a non-smoker who rarely drinks. Other risk factors include a poor diet lacking in nutrients, and exposure to the HPV (human papilloma virus).

It may not be possible to prevent oral cancer, but seeing your dentist on a regular basis will help to ensure that any symptoms are detected early. Your dentist is trained to spot early warning signs, and they can refer you for further tests at a stage when treatment is much more likely to be successful.

If you’re worried about oral cancer, or you’d like to find out more, don’t hesitate to call us today.