As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
Whether your dental pain is producing sharp pains or it's a constant ache, you probably want to banish it quickly. Your best course of action is to see a dentist so they can diagnose and treat you appropriately. However, if you're waiting for an appointment, you should also know when the infection is serious. With the right background knowledge, you can escalate your routine appointment to an emergency one.
Experiencing a Fever
Having a fever is an early sign that your dental infection has spread beyond its original localised site. Although it isn't the sole sign of sepsis, it is one you should take seriously. If you feel hotter than usual, take your temperature. You can find many different options for thermometers. A temperature of 38 degrees centigrade or higher is usually classed as a fever. If your temperature is that high, schedule an emergency appointment.
Signs of Dehydration
Fevers aren't always present when a dental infection starts to affect the rest of your body. If you've taken painkillers, you may have reduced the fever. Additionally, your body's response to fever is to lower your temperature as a part of its natural feedback cycle. As such, when you take your temperature, it may not be high. If you're showing signs of dehydration, though, you may be dealing with a serious infection. Having darker urine the usual, passing urine less often and insatiable thirst are all signs of dehydration that could indicate sepsis. If you notice these signs, schedule an emergency appointment or seek advice from your dentist.
Facial Swelling
When you experience an infection anywhere in your body, your immune system responds in several ways. One of those ways is through swelling. Fluid enters the inflamed tissue and protects it. While this protective mechanism is positive, too much swelling indicates that something serious is happening. If your swelling increases rapidly, stops you from opening your mouth or impacts your breathing or swallowing, seek emergency attention.
Severe Pain
Severe pain that you can't reduce at home should always warrant an emergency appointment. It could indicate that your infection is worse than you may think. Or, it may mean that there's tooth damage that requires rapid action. Most of all, you shouldn't be expected to sit with severe pain at home. Your dentist can provide appropriate treatments and analgesia to return you to a comfortable state. Contact a local dentist for more info.
Share10 November 2022
