SPECIALTY

Toothaches and bleeding and swollen gums are all symptoms of a dental emergency. If you are experiencing any one of these, you need to visit the dentist right away. Failing to do so may lead to severe complications such as oral infections, persistent pain, and tooth loss.

What Causes Toothaches and Bleeding Gums?

Dental pain can range from mild to severe and affect different parts of your mouth. Your teeth may become sensitive to hot or cold foods or drinks, and you may experience discomfort when biting down. You may also notice your gums are swollen and red, which is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right.

While some minor cases of tooth and gum sensitivity don’t necessarily require professional medical care, you should still reach out to a dentist for an evaluation. Several factors can cause sore teeth and gums. If a cavity is causing you pain, the dentist will remove the decayed area and then fill the hole with a composite resin filling to prevent further decay.

Teeth Sensitivity

If your teeth are sensitive, it may be caused by thinning enamel due to aging or brushing too hard. In this case, the dentist may apply a special fluoride gel to the affected teeth to protect them from future damage. If you grind your teeth at night, the dentist may recommend a nightguard to protect your teeth while you sleep and prevent painful symptoms related to jaw clenching. 

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with our dentist as soon as possible. The earlier you treat your dental issue, the better chance you have of avoiding more invasive and expensive treatments in the future.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal procedure is used to preserve a tooth when decay or trauma has damaged the pulp, the living tissue inside the tooth that supplies the tooth with nutrients and contains nerves. The infected or damaged pulp needs to be removed to save the tooth and prevent decay from infecting the neighboring teeth. 

During a root canal procedure, the dentist removes all signs of infection from the tooth by cleaning out the inside of the tooth, filling the space with inert material, and capping the tooth with a crown.

What Are Dental Crowns?

If your tooth is decayed or broken and needs more extensive restorative work than a filling can provide, you may need a dental crown. If you are receiving root canal therapy, our dentist may place a dental crown on top of the treated tooth to strengthen it and prevent further infection.

Dental crowns offer a number of benefits, including the following:

• Protect a weak or damaged tooth to prevent further breakage or decay.
• Restore a broken tooth to its original shape and structure.
• Support a large filling when there isn’t enough remaining natural tooth structure to support a regular filling.
• Cover up and protect misshapen or severely discolored teeth.

For more information, contact our Alexandria dental office at (703) 823-2848 or 5130 Duke St, Suite 8, Alexandria, VA 22304, or our Manassas dental office at (703) 479-7654 or 8608 Centreville Rd, Manassas, VA 20110.