Many people will experience a dental emergency in their life. Here is some helpful advice for determining if your oral health issue is an emergency and what to do if it is.
What is a dental emergency?
Any issue with your teeth, gums or mouth which requires urgent treatment is a dental emergency. This includes:
Broken, Chipped, or Knocked Out Tooth
A chipped or broken tooth can often be repaired, but requires urgent care. Your dentist may be able to repair the tooth with a filling or, for more serious cases, a crown or root canal.
When your teeth have been knocked out, a dentist may be able to place the tooth back into your mouth within an hour of the incident. After the two hour mark, your chances significant decrease.
Severe Toothache
If you are experiencing a toothache you can't manage with regular pain medication, apply ice to the area and then contact your dentist as soon as possible.
Toothaches can indicate major health issues. It's important to take them seriously.
Lost Filling
Losing a filling is serious. It exposes the interior of your tooth and weakens its structure. Contact a dentist to have the filling replaced as soon as possible. Until then, protect the area until you have the filling replaced with a softened piece of sugarless gum.
Object Lodged Between Teeth
Objects becoming lodged between your teeth can present a significant hazard to your oral health. If you can't dislodge the object with floss, don't use a sharp object to attempt to dislodge it. This could actually push it further in and injure your gums.
Bitten Tongue or Lip
If your mouth or lip is bleeding after being bitten and can't be stopped, visit your nearest emergency dental clinic. Meanwhile, apply a clean cloth to the bleeding part of your mouth and press down. Use an ice pack to reduce the swelling and search for urgent care.
Dental Abscess
This painful infection is often found in your tooth's root and is often caused by an untreated cavity, a chipped tooth, or gum disease.
Symptoms can range from a bad taste in your mouth, to swollen glands, pain a fever or pus. An abscessed tooth usually requires surgery to drain the infection and properly treat it.
Are you experiencing a dental emergency?
A dentist will make every effort to see you as soon as possible and can often offer same-day appointments.
