What is Emergency Dental Care?
Dental emergencies happen, and often when we least expect them. When a dental emergency happens, it is important to act quickly if you want to maintain your signature smile. The first step to take in the case of a dental emergency is to assess the injury and determine if emergency dental services are needed. Below is more information on the nature of a true dental emergency is and how to determine if emergency services are needed.
What kind of oral injuries are dental emergencies?
The first step in determining if your injury is a dental emergency is to assess the severity of the injury. Is there excessive bleeding involved? Is the injury to more than one tooth and are they located in the front of the mouth? Is there a lot of pain involved in the injury? If the answer to these questions is yes, you should consider seeking emergency services. The following dental injuries should be treated immediately:
- The loss of one or more teeth
- A serious infection or abscess with symptoms of pain and soreness
- Heavy bleeding following a recent dental visit
- A laceration or large wound in the mouth, face or gum
Minor oral accidents, such as cracked or chipped teeth, are common and do not always need immediate treatment. Minor accidents that don’t result in excess pain or bleeding can wait to be treated until normal dental office hours. Many dentists keep slots in their schedules open for last minute treatments and will likely be able to fit you in within 48 hours of the accident.
What are the most common dental emergencies?
Still not sure what exactly a dental emergency is? The number one dental emergency that is treated regularly is a lost, broken, or cracked tooth.
- Loss, broken, or cracked teeth: At some point in everyone’s life, individuals have a fall or injury that leads to the loss of a tooth, a broken tooth, or a cracked tooth. A loss, broken, or cracked tooth does not always require emergency dental services. Only the more severe injuries, with badly damaged teeth with excessive bleeding or damage to the front teeth will require immediate treatment. The best way to determine if your injury or the injury of your loved one requires emergency treatment is to call your dentist’s office and get some professional guidance. Even if it is after your dentist’s normal hours, they will likely have a number for emergency services and guidance on their voicemail.
- Preserving a lost tooth: If a tooth has been knocked out, it is important to act quickly in order to try to save the tooth. If it is possible, you should try to put the tooth back into the socket in the gums. If the tooth will fit back in the socket, bite down on a moist paper towel to help hold it in place. If you are unable to put the tooth in the socket, clean it and place it in a container of milk and call your dentist for further instruction.
More on Emergency Dentistry : Emergency Dentistry for Children