When you start to experience certain symptoms, it’s not always clear what could be wrong. Sure, some common conditions come with telltale clues, but other trouble can have the same symptoms, making everything more confusing. You don’t necessarily have to be a hypochondriac to fear what your symptoms could mean and question what you should do next.
If you have facial swelling, for instance, you may not automatically know what’s wrong or where to turn. Should you go to your emergency dentist, or should you go to your general physician or even the emergency room? What does facial swelling even indicate? It’s impossible to address every possibility in this post but keep reading to get some answers to these questions about facial swelling.
What Does Facial Swelling Usually Mean?
In certain circumstances, such as if you’ve sustained a mild hit to the face or slept awkwardly, facial swelling can be explained and can start to fade away within hours. However, you may have swelling as a result of other conditions, such as drinking too much alcohol, having too much salt in your diet, being inactive, having hormonal changes, allergic reaction, and more.
Often, those who have facial swelling also have at least slight pain somewhere in the face. While eye or sinus pain may not necessarily point to oral problems, pain emanating from the mouth certainly does. A tooth hurts, and it swells on that specific side of the face. In this scenario, it generally indicates that a tooth has become infected with decay, which has reached the pulp and into the root structures.
Who Should I Call If I Have Facial Swelling?
Again, because facial swelling, often mixed with tooth pain, typically points to a dental issue, your dentist should be one of the first resources you reach out to for help. A good emergency dentist should even be able to see you on the same day as your phone call! During this urgent visit, they can visually inspect your mouth, take X-rays of your oral cavity, and identify if you have a deep cavity or infection. Supposing this is the issue, they can remove the decay as soon as possible and get you back to normal, likely through root canal treatment.
Should your X-rays reveal that an oral infection is not to blame for your swelling, your dentist may also perform a quick oral cancer screening, in which they will lightly feel your cheeks, throat, and neck for lumps or other abnormal areas. Whether they discover reason for concern or not, they will likely refer you to your general physician for further testing and diagnosis.
Unless you have difficulty breathing, extremely fast or sudden swelling, severe pain outside the mouth, or other worrisome symptoms along with your facial swelling, you shouldn’t visit the emergency room. Even if a fever comes with your facial swelling with some oral pain, hospitals are rarely equipped or trained to deal with dental problems, so you’d only waste time and money going there for non-life-threatening facial swelling.
Although figuring out your symptoms and next steps can still be tricky, you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re not sure where to turn, it doesn’t hurt to ask your dentist for advice. They can serve as your first line for facial concerns and help direct you to the appropriate professional for your situation.
About the Practice
At Pioneer Greens Dentistry in Lincoln, Dr. Justin Shirk and Dr. Stephanie McAndrew are highly trained and experienced dentists who passionately care for patients who have facial swelling, oral pain, chipped or broken teeth, a knocked-out tooth, or any other dental emergency. They even have several options for sedation if you’d like to have a more peaceful, relaxing dental visit. To take care of your dental emergency, don’t hesitate to call our office at 402-483-7502 or visit our Contact Us page here.