Symptoms & diagnosis
Emergency root canal treatment in Burton upon Trent
Acute toothache does not keep office hours. Pulsing pain, a swelling or a tooth you cannot bear to touch is treated as urgent: say so when you book, and the first appointment has a single purpose — to get you out of pain.
Symptoms that should not wait
- pain that throbs or pulses, or that keeps you awake;
- pain with hot drinks that lingers for a minute or more;
- swelling of the gum, face or jaw;
- a tooth too tender to bite on;
- a bad taste or discharge from around a tooth;
- a tooth that has been knocked out, loosened or broken.
When NHS 111 or A&E must come first
A dental appointment is not the right response to a swelling that is spreading rapidly towards the eye or down the neck, to difficulty swallowing or breathing, to a high fever with feeling generally unwell, or to an injury involving the jaw or a loss of consciousness. Those need medical care at once; the tooth is dealt with once you are safe.
What an emergency appointment involves
- Confirming the cause. Even in a hurry, the responsible tooth is identified with tests and an X-ray before anything is done — treating the wrong tooth helps no one.
- Relieving the pain. For an inflamed or infected pulp, the fastest relief is to open the tooth under local anaesthetic, remove the inflamed tissue and place a soothing dressing. A draining abscess is released. Relief normally follows as soon as the anaesthetic wears off.
- Making the tooth comfortable. A temporary filling seals it until the next visit.
- Planning the rest. Definitive root canal treatment, retreatment or another option is explained, costed in writing and booked for a time that suits you.
Coping until your appointment
Ordinary painkillers taken regularly rather than at the peak of the pain work best; your pharmacist can advise what is safe for you. Avoid very hot food and drink, sleep with your head raised and chew on the other side. Do not place aspirin against the gum, and do not hold a hot compress against a swelling. These measures manage the pain; they do not treat the cause.
Nervous as well as in pain
Fear often delays the call by days, which is a pity, because emergency appointments are where nervous patients receive the most careful attention. Mention your anxiety when you book, and read about dental phobia and nervous patients.