What Is Emergency Dental Care?
Whenever you face a dental problem, the first person you should call is the dentist. But, what should you do in case of an emergency? If you encounter a dental problem during the night, weekend, or a holiday, you are likely to need emergency dental care.
What Is A Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is not considered routine. This means that it might involve more than the basic dental check-up which consists of consultation, X-rays, and routine cleaning. When it comes to a dental emergency, immediate action becomes necessary to treat the discomfort, pain, or trauma that might be causing lacerations and bleeding or teeth fracture.
What Are Common Dental Emergencies?
According to My Dentist San Francisco, if you experience any of the following, chances are that you need to visit an emergency dentist.
1. Tooth Pain
Tooth pain can be extremely difficult to deal with. You simply cannot ignore it. This is why it is important that you visit a dentist immediately. In the meantime, it is suggested that you do the following.
- Brush and floss your teeth to dislodge trapped food particles as they are commonly the cause of the pain.
- Consider applying a cold compress outside the area experiencing pain.
- To control the pain, you may take over the counter medication. However, if the pain persists, your only option is to visit a dentist.
2. Broken Teeth
Another dental emergency that requires you to seek emergency dental care is broken teeth. If any of your teeth breaks or chips suddenly, it is best that you visit a dentist. To handle the situation, you may do the following.
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- Apply gauze to the gums that bleed.
- Save fragments of the teeth that you are able to find.
- Reduce the pain and swelling by applying a cold compress.
- Contact the dentist early on.
3. Abscessed Tooth
For those of you that do not know, an abscess is a painful and serious infection between the teeth and gums. It requires urgent attention. If you fail to get your teeth treated, the infection could potentially spread to surrounding teeth and even gums. This would only cause further damage. If you have abscessed teeth, you have to visit the dentist right away as you cannot sit around.
4. Dislodged Teeth
A common dental emergency that should be treated as soon as possible is partially dislodged teeth. It can be extremely painful which is why you should do the following while waiting while you wait.
- Apply a cold compress outside of the area affected.
- Consider taking an over the counter pain relief medication to reduce the pain.
5. Knocked Out Teeth
If any of your teeth gets completely knocked out, you would need to meet with the dentist without any delay. The dentist will work to restore the tooth quickly. While you wait to get a hold of the dentist, here is what you need to do.
- Look for the missing tooth and wash it. However, you should avoid scrubbing it.
- Keep the tooth safe in a container. It is a good idea to pour some contact lens solution into the container to ensure that the tooth remains in good condition.
6. Missing Filling
In addition to the above, it is also possible for you to experience missing fillings. These have to be replaced by the dentist on priority basis to prevent new cavities from forming around the exposed area. As you wait for the dentist, you should do the following.
- Apply some dental cement to the area affected.
- In case the dental cement is not available, you may fill the cavity with gum (sugarless) until you meet the dentist.
7. Lost Crown
If you have lost a crown, you should get it treated immediately. Do not wait around as it could cause further damage. Visit a dentist to seek urgent dental care. In the meantime, you should consider the following.
- For the time being, you should try slipping the crown back in its original place using a toothpaste or dental cement for securing the tooth.
- Take an over the counter pain relief medication if you continue to experience discomfort. However, you have to schedule an appointment soon.
Seek Emergency Dental Care
If you or anyone you know experiences any of the situations mentioned above, it is crucial that you seek emergency dental care. A dental emergency dentist provides a variety of dental emergency treatments to ensure that you can smile confidently.
