Facial pain can throw even the coolest customer off their game, especially when it appears suddenly or becomes severe. You may ask yourself, “What’s causing it?” or “What kind of doctor do I need?” While facial pain can have many possible causes, problems involving the teeth, gums, jaw, or surrounding tissues can sometimes require prompt dental attention. Learn more about the following dental emergencies that cause facial pain so you’ll know when it’s time to contact an emergency dentist.
Dental Abscesses
A dental abscess is an infection that can develop around the root of a tooth or within the surrounding gum tissue. It may cause severe tooth pain that radiates into the jaw, cheek, or other areas of the face.
Other symptoms can include swelling, sensitivity, a bad taste in the mouth, fever, or a pimple-like bump on the gums. A dental abscess should be evaluated promptly by an emergency dentist as an untreated infection can spread to surrounding tissues.
If facial swelling becomes significant or you’re having a hard time breathing or swallowing, that’s when you need to go to the ER or call 911 if you can’t drive.
Severe Tooth Decay
A cavity doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. As decay progresses deeper into a tooth, however, it can irritate or infect the dental pulp.
Severe decay may cause intense or persistent tooth pain that spreads toward the jaw, ear, or face. Pain may become worse when eating or drinking hot, cold, or sweet foods.
Depending on the condition of the tooth, treatment could include a filling, crown, root canal, or extraction.
Cracked or Fractured Teeth
A cracked or fractured tooth can cause sudden pain when chewing or biting. Depending on the location and severity of the damage, you could feel pain in your jaw or face. Even if that’s the case, an emergency dentist is better equipped to remedy the problem.
Trauma, grinding, biting hard objects, and weakened teeth can all contribute to dental fractures. Prompt evaluation is important because some cracks can worsen if left untreated.
Dental Trauma
A blow to the mouth or face can damage teeth and surrounding tissues. Sports injuries, accidental falls, car crashes, and other mishaps can result in chipped, displaced, or knocked-out teeth.
Dental trauma may cause pain, swelling, bruising, or tenderness in the jaw and face. If a permanent tooth is knocked out, contact an emergency dentist immediately for instructions. A chipped tooth accompanied by pain also merits dental attention as soon as possible, while a painless fracture should be attended to at your earliest convenience.
Serious facial injuries should be evaluated in an emergency room, especially if they involve loss of consciousness, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, or suspected jaw or facial fractures.
Severe Gum Infections
Advanced gum infections can cause swollen, tender tissues around the teeth. In some cases, localized infections in the gums can result in significant discomfort that spreads into nearby areas of the face.
This issue can be particularly confusing in terms of identifying it and knowing how to treat it if you’re not consistently monitoring your gum health, so be mindful of the following symptoms:
- Swelling.
- Bleeding.
- Pus.
- Persistent bad breath (halitosis).
- Loose teeth.
These can all be tell-tale signs of a problem that requires timely dental attention.
If facial pain is severe, sudden, worsening, or accompanied by swelling, fever, or dental trauma, contact your dentist promptly. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, severe facial or neck swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, or a serious facial injury, seek emergency medical care.
About the Author
Dr. Dustin C. Lively is a proud native of Mangum, OK and has been happily serving the same community since 1997. His education includes a dental degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and postgraduate courses at the Misch Implant Institute and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. If you’ve sustained an emergency involving your teeth, Dr. Lively’s office – 333 Dental Care – can typically schedule you to be treated the same day of your accident. Call (580) 782-2552 immediately for quick assistance from a team member or reach out online.