There are many ways that traumatic dental injuries occur. This may include injuries to your teeth, jaw, lips, tongue, inner cheeks, gums, the roof of your mouth, neck, or your tonsils. Frequently, injuries to the mouth may look worse than they actually are, as they may bleed heavily due to there being many blood vessels within the mouth.

Teeth may be injured in a variety of ways, such as during sports or if an individual falls or is in a traumatic accident. Teeth may also crack, chip, break, or change color; other potential teeth injuries include dental luxation – where the tooth is loose or has changed position – and intruded, which is where the tooth has become jammed into the gum.

Dental injuries may also be caused by repetitive motions, such as grinding teeth, or by dental or orthodontic appliances which may have come loose and could cause potential damage to your mouth – such as wires poking into the soft tissues or an orthodontic device becoming embedded in the palate. Piercings in the mouth may also cause issues, which may vary from causing tearing to possible infections if not cared for properly.

It is important that you get an injury in your mouth treated – especially ones to the roof of your mouth, the back of your throat, or your tonsils – as injuries to these areas may cause further issues in your head and neck and cause difficult-to-treat complications.

Although there are many effective at-home remedies for treating mouth trauma, it is important to see a dentist if you experience severe symptoms or if your mouth trauma is causing you to struggle with any aspect of your daily life. For those wondering when they should seek out a dentist for their mouth trauma, here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• Experiencing pain, tenderness, or sensitivity to pressure or temperature, in your teeth;
• When there is a broken, loose, or missing tooth after a trauma, as the tooth may have been swallowed or inhaled;
• Bleeding that does not stop after applying pressure for ten minutes;
• Pain when opening or closing your mouth;
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing;
• If an object is stuck in the roof of the mouth, cheek, tongue, or throat (do not attempt to remove the object on your own;
• A large or gaping cut or wound inside of the mouth or surrounding face;
• Watch out for signs of a fever or other signs of infection after a mouth injury, which includes localized redness, pus, and increasing pain, while a more serious infection will involve neck pain and/or stiffness, inability to open the mouth, drooling, or chest pain.

For those in need of emergency treatment for mouth trauma, or to deal with the results of previous trauma, then Ideal Endodontics is the right choice for you. Our compassionate dental specialists will help you get back to looking and feeling healthy. Contact us to book an appointment, or visit us at 1145 19th Street NW, Suite 314, Washington, DC 20036.