I had to go to an emergency dentist because of a pimple on my gums that was causing me massive pain. The emergency dentist did a root canal treatment and gave me a crown. I was still in quite a bit of pain. Now, a few weeks later, I realize the tooth next to it is gray. He killed my tooth. What do I do? Should he treat it for free?
Louis.
I go to this club regularly. It’s always been fine. There’s music, dancing, and drinking. Lots of fun. I don’t know what happened but a fight broke out two days ago. I wasn’t involved, but someone clocked me in the mouth with their elbow. It was significant enough where there was blood involved but my mom always said the mouth bleeds easily. This morning, though, one of my teeth is gray looking. Is this a dental emergency? Do I have to pay it or can the dentist bill the guy who clocked me? I know who he is.
Devon H.
I’m really worried something is seriously wrong. I recently had a friend die from an infection that grew out of control and I want to be careful not to allow myself to get into the same situation. I’ll admit up front I don’t like dentists and haven’t been to one in a few years. So, I wasn’t extraordinarily surprised when my molar started hurting. I called an emergency dentist and he told me to come on in. When I got there he said my molar and two other teeth need to be extracted. I was disappointed but realized I’d caused the problem. So, I agreed to the extractions. He was willing to do them right at that moment. Though scared, I did want to just get it over with. The procedure took a bit, but I got through it. When it was done, they never mentioned anything went wrong. I went home thinking outside of feeling like a Hillbilly with my missing teeth, everything should be okay from here. Then my nose started making these “popping” sounds when I breathe. I called the office and they said to take a decongestant, never hinting at a problem. The pain grew worse and I developed a fever. I called them back asking to come in and have them look at it. They told me not to come in and they’d just call me in an antibiotic. I took that but still continued getting worse. I was two weeks out from the procedure and started having discharge. The fever is still there too. This time I didn’t give them a choice and just told them I was on my way in, not wanting to risk a spreading infection. It wasn’t until I was in the chair again that they said they’d perforated my sinus during the extraction. They went in and pulled out bone fragments. I couldn’t believe it. They said that should take care of the problem and sent me home with a refill on the antibiotic. It’s five days later and nothing has improved. What do I do? Am I in danger?
Hailey M.
Dear Hailey,
Wow! What a disaster. This emergency dentist has totally blown this situation. In the first place, they should have let you know immediately when your sinus was perforated. Not only is it your body, but you need to know what the protocol for healing is. For instance, in your case, it would be dangerous to blow your nose normally at this point. It needs to be treated gently.
That being said, I wouldn’t panic, though it does need to be dealt with promptly. You’re right that infections can’t be left untreated and it sounds to me like you’re on the wrong antibiotic. Truthfully, you should have been feeling better after just two days on an antibiotic. If you don’t, something’s wrong.
You may need to see an ENT at this point. Tell them exactly what you told me and they should get you in right away. At the very least, get your primary care physician to give you the right antibiotic. Try to find an emergency ENT. Most of these will heal on their own, but if it doesn’t, you may need surgery.
I’d also like to address your aversion to dentists. First, don’t feel guilty about that. Many people feel exactly the same way. Though, because it’s causing you to lose teeth I want to see if we can’t help give you a positive experience at the dentist (especially after this last one!). I’d like you to consider trying dental sedation. It will completely give you a much more pleasant experience at the dentist. In addition to making your dental care easier it will allow you to have more work done at each visit.
Additionally, you’ll need to look at tooth replacement options. Ideally, you’d want dental implants. But, if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, you may have some gum disease that needs to be dealt with first. IF you don’t, you could lose all your teeth.
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I was playing with my son. He was a ninja. Everything was fine until he did a jump kick off the couch which caught me in the mouth. I thought it was okay. It hurt for a bit, but then felt better. However, this morning the teeth feel a little loose. Whenever I jiggle them, they move. Am I going to lose them or can they be saved?
Mary W.
Dear Mary,
The most important thing to do right now is to stop messing with it. There are ligaments holding them in place. They’re stretched right now, but if you keep messing with them they could snap. Then you will lose your teeth.
The next thing to do is call your dentist’s office. They need to stabilize your teeth somehow. There are several methods to chose from, but they need time to heal. If you don’t have a dentist, you can do an internet search for an emergency dentist. Many of them will see you the same day, even if you’re not a patient. Protecting it and keeping it in place may give it time to heal. Though, if the pulp is damaged then a root canal procedure may be necessary.
In the meantime, make sure you’re babying the tooth as much as possible. It might not be a bad idea to avoid ninjas for a while too.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.
My husband hasn’t been eating and is favoring his mouth quite a bit. I finally talked him in to letting me take a look. There’s a nasty red sore in his mouth. I winced just looking at it. Is it serious? Does he have oral cancer? Should I see an emergency dentist?
Lillian H.
Dear Lillian,
I wouldn’t panic just yet, and I don’t think you need an emergency dentist. It’s more likely a canker sore than oral cancer. These usually clear up in about two weeks. There are several over-the-counter medications you could try. Things like the discs that are supposed to cover the sore sometimes have trouble staying on because of the saliva, but it’s worth trying.
If your husband has regular appointments with a dentist then his dentist should be checking him for oral cancer at every check-up. If it hasn’t cleared up in a couple of weeks, then it will be worth getting checked out.
I’d also try an anesthetic gel along with some acetaminophen to help with the pain. Hopefully, that will allow him to eat. We don’t really know the cause of these sores yet. The theory is currently that it’s caused by a virus.
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I’m not sure what to do. I had a dental problem while my dentist was out of town. I went to an emergency dentist. The dentist and office were extremely kind, they worked me in without issue and were gentle the whole time. The only problem I have is the dental crown they gave me is horribly ugly. It doesn’t come near to matching my other teeth. It wouldn’t be a huge deal except it shows when I smile. Is there anything to be done?
Miranda M. – Georgia
Miranda,
It sounds like the emergency dentist is a decent family dentist, but not necessarily very good at the cosmetic side of things. It’s obvious he cares about patients, based on the way you described your office visit. Plus, he obviously makes time for non-established patients which also shows he cares.
Unfortunately, there is no way to change a crown once it has been bonded in. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with mismatched teeth. It can be replaced. The first thing I’d do is return to the dentist who initially did the work. Explain your concern. They’ll want you to be satisfied and may agree to replace it free of charge.
If they’re not interested in replacing it, then unless there is a functional problem with the crown, you may be out of luck in getting it changed for free.
Another option is to have your regular dentist look at the work. He may put pressure on the emergency dentist to make it right. Dentists do care about what their peers think. However, even if you don’t get any assistance from your dentist, you could go to another dentist and have the crown re-done.
Make sure whomever you go to the second time around has a good track record with cosmetics. You can look at the smile galleries they have on their website to get an idea of how beautiful (or ugly) their results are. Some dentists even have a beautiful smile guarantee.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.
I don’t know what to do. I went to an emergency dentist because of tooth pain. He decided I needed a root canal, which I agreed to. However, it’s a month later and it still hurts. I went back to see him. He did an x-ray and said nothing is wrong. I insisted I was in pain and he suggested I see a neurologist. Can you believe that?
Abbey – Baltimore
Abbey,
It might not be that the emergency dentist thinks you’re crazy, though certainly his chairside manner needs some work.
It might be that he thinks you have some nerve damage. A neurologist could help determine that. However, before you do that I’d take two other steps.
First, get a second opinion. It may be that this dentist missed something. It’s common for a root canal treatment to need more than one go. Have your regular dentist take a look to make sure the emergency dentist didn’t miss anything.
The next thing I would do before seeing a neurologist is to see your primary care physician. Your sinuses are very close to the roots of your teeth. It’s possible you have sinusitis and the pain is referring to your teeth.
If neither of those reveal anything then a neurologist might be your next visit.
Hope this puts your mind at ease.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.
My fiance has been having some issues with his wisdom teeth. He’s had problems in the past, but this seems different. It’s swollen, like the other was, but this seems to have a flap. I’m a little worried that will make it a problem. Can you advise us? We don’t yet have a dentist for him. We’re new to our area. He’s in more pain than I like to see him in.
Claire F. – Oklahoma
Claire,
Everyone’s wisdom teeth behave differently. They’re tricky under the best of circumstances. They come in late in life, just about the time we finally feel our mouths are established and settled. Now, we’re having to make room for something new.
It’s a little like life isn’t it? Constant change and upheaval. Sometimes the change goes smoothly. Other times it’s bumpy or worse, destructive. In which case things need to be removed. That might be where your fiance is.
It sounds like he could be developing an infection. I realize you don’t have a dentist. This is a case where I’d say he’d need to be seen sooner rather than later. Many dentists treat emergency dental needs whether or not you’re a patient. Some will even see you that day.
Do an internet search for an emergency dentist and see who pops up in your area. It wouldn’t hurt to take the extra step and check out some of their reviews before calling, just to make sure they have a good chairside manner too. When you’re in pain, you don’t want to deal with a surly practitioner.
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I had dental implants done a couple of months ago. The implant site began to hurt a few days ago. I pressed on it and it was a little soft at the gum, not to mention tender. Now my jaw is tender. Is this something that needs to be seen or do I just give it time?
Miranda M. – New Mexico
Miranda,
It sounds like you’ve developed an infection at the implant site. This needs to been dealt with right away, especially since your pain has spread throughout your jaw. If your dentist can’t see you soon, I’d contact an emergency dentist.
Not only can an oral infection spread quickly, but you’re putting your dental implant procedure at risk. You’ll have to start over, and will also require bone grafting.
If you catch the infection soon enough, you may be able to save your implants.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.
I’m 17 years old and have been doing parkour. My mom hates it when I do it, because “I’m a girl” and she doesn’t like me doing things she thinks is dangerous. Well, I fell and chipped a tooth. She’s out of town for a week. I’d like to get this fixed without her knowing. She’s good friends with our family dentist so if I go to him she’s sure to find out. I know what needs to be done. I just need some dental bonding to fix the chip. Can I go to an emergency dentist without a parent?
Aimee L. – Detroit
Aimee,
For most states, including Michigan, that is 18 when it comes to medical care. It’s great that you’re wanting to take responsibility for your actions. It’s also impressive you know what will treat the chipped tooth.
However, there are a couple of things you ought to be aware of. First, though most dentists are honest, a less than ethical dentist might be tempted to take advantage by overtreating (and overcharging) a teen trying to do something on the hush-hush. You’re not wanting to go to your family dentist, so you’d just have to take your chances with whatever emergency dentist you get.
Second, I’m guessing your mom has some kind of insurance for you. If you do it without her knowledge, you won’t be able to use that insurance, which means more money coming out of your pocket.
One other thing to consider. While it seems like the problem is cosmetic. The dentist will likely want to do x-rays to make sure there isn’t any underlying damage.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.
