What Would Be Considered A Dental Emergency?
Types of Dental Emergencies
If Your Face Swells Up
If You Have A Knocked Out Tooth
If You Have A Broken Tooth, Cracked Tooth, Or Chipped Tooth
If You Are Bleeding From The Mouth
If You Think You Have Gum Abscess
If You Have A Tooth Abscess
If You Have Pain When You Bite
If You Had an Injury, Fall, or Accident
If You Were Injured In A Dental Procedure
In case of a cut or burned tongue.
If You Have A Toothache
If You Do Not Have Dental Insurance
Can I Get Emergency Dental Treatment
Who Do I Call For A Dental Emergency
Can I Got To The Emergency Room For A Dental Emergency Or My Teeth
Emergency Room Dental Extractions
Should I Go To The Hospital Or Dentist For A Dental Emergency
What To Do If You Have A Dental Emergency
Anytime we have a dental emergency we tend to be scared because of the pain we experience. Regardless of the situation, you should not panic, all you need to do is call us to find an emergency dentist who can help relieve your pain right away.
What Would Be Considered A Dental Emergency?
Urgency is what is most important when in need of emergency dental care. Examples of some of the dental emergencies include:
- Bleeding That Will Not Stop
- A Loose or Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
- Injured or Broken Jaw
- Painful Swelling
- Painful Toothache
- Teeth Forced Out Of Position
This kind of emergency care needs to be dealt with right away. The good thing is most of the dentists have an emergency number in the event of the above problems. In case you fail to reach your dentist you may need to visit the emergency room as soon as possible.
Types of Dental Emergencies
If Your Face Swells Up
This could mean there is a serious dental infection and needs to be checked by a dentist as soon as possible. As they do not usually go away on their own. It could be both gum, tooth and bone infection.
What To Consider
You need to see a dentist right away because any delay in and around the mouth can cause death.
You also need to stay upright and don’t lie flat especially when you sleep. Drink a lot of fluids as staying dehydrated could have more complications.
If You Have A Knocked Out Tooth
This could mean if you lose a tooth, you will need an implant to fill the space where the root used to be in the gum. You have 30 min to get your tooth on ice and get to a dentist.
If the dentist can re-implant the tooth within a short period, an hour, there’s a good chance it will take if it is re-implanted properly even though a root canal might be needed, you will still have your tooth and an implant won’t be needed.
What To Consider
For an adult tooth, try placing the root back in the socket but first check the teeth on the other side to visualize how it should be placed back.
Make sure you don’t touch the root and only do it when you know how to.
Call your dentist right away and let them know you are coming to the office, and if they are not available to head to the emergency office right away and it will be done in an hour.
Pick it up by the crown and not root, as touching the root will damage the tissue that helps with re-implantation.
If You Have A Broken Tooth, Cracked Tooth, Or Chipped Tooth
This could mean, you need a filling if it is a small crack. If it’s a large piece that is chipped or a broken a crown will be needed.
Tooth extraction and implantation are also needed if the tooth is cracked all the way. If a crown, however, breaks half way or falls off, you will have to wait a few days to have it fixed or replaced.
What To Consider
If you’re not in pain, no need to panic. This gives you a lot of time.
The teeth will break most often and you will not feel pain because of the sensitivity to cold and heat. If the piece that broke off is large enough, it exposes the inner structure of the tooth referred to as dentin.
The sensitivity goes away as the saliva cools and insulates the area.
Call your dentist. The more information you give them over the phone the easier it will be for you when you go for the scheduled appointment to avoid disappointments.
If you don’t give them enough information they wouldn’t know if they should schedule you for filling, extraction or crown. The best they can do is schedule you for consultation and then you will have to go in a second time around just to get the work done.
If You Are Bleeding From The Mouth
This means it could be an acute or even a chronic condition. If you spot blood on the floss it means you have gum disease or gingivitis. Blood on the saliva, however, could be an advanced stage of either cancer or gum disease. The mouth does try to prevent bleeding, so it is rare for gums to bleed from cuts or abrasions.
If you’ve had an extraction and the bleeding won’t stop, immediate dental care is needed.
What To Consider
In case you’re seeing blood on your floss, see your dentist as soon as possible and get treated for gum disease. Blood on your toothbrush or floss is not normal.
This indicates that you might have a chronic disease that will lead to the loss of your teeth. Book an appointment as soon as possible.
Bleeding after a procedure, go back immediately to the doctor who did the surgery as it is not normal for the bleeding to continue after the procedure.
If he is not available call an oral surgeon and keeps your head up during sleep.
If You Think You Have Gum Abscess
Gum abscess might look like a yellow, red, clear or a white pimple on the gum. This means your tooth or gum is infected. A root canal is needed or an extraction.
Antibiotics and x-ray in some cases will be needed although it could lead to permanent gum recession.
The sooner you get it, the less likely it happens.
What To Consider
- Schedule an appointment with your dentist you need to be seen immediately
- Do not pop it like a pimple
- Make an appointment the next day
- Keep brushing and flossing that area as usual
If You Have A Tooth Abscess
This means the tooth has lingering sensitivity to hot and cold, severe tenderness when chewing or pain after positional movement. This may mean that you have a dead or dying tooth. This has to be determined by an x-ray or an exam.
A pulpal abscess is an infection of the tooth; a tissue inside the tooth is dying and will need a root canal.
What To Consider
If you ignore it for too long, it will lead to facial swelling and severe systemic compilations. So you make an appointment for the next day.
In case you don’t get hold of your dentist, ask people you know who have had a root canal for a referral from an endodontic, no need to wait for a referral from your dentist.
If You Have Pain When You Bite
This means cracked tooth syndrome. Chances are if you catch this early and crown it sooner a root canal or loss of a tooth is less likely to happen as you are stopping the cracking of the crown by stabilizing it.
Also, it might not be tooth pain rather muscle pain when biting caused by grinding through the day. With these, you can book an appointment in a month. Until tested it could be a pulpal abscess.
What To Consider
Within a week make an appointment with the doctor. Avoid chewing on that tooth because it could result in you losing your tooth due to the crack that goes all the way through the tooth.
If You Had an Injury, Fall, or Accident
This might range from minor to severe. It depends on how fast you have responded to the emergency that determines if you get to keep your tooth or not. This means you need to be seen by the oral specialist fast.
What To Consider
Get an appointment to be seen by a dentist ASAP! In case of any doubt, make sure to ask if there is a fractured jaw as they are overlooked in the emergency room.
If you fell on your jaw, ice and speak with a medical professional about anti-inflammatories.
If You Were Injured In A Dental Procedure
After a procedure, you could experience a lot of pain or an infection. This may be normal for the procedure but there can also be complications. Complications such as injuring your tongue which can cause a lot of pain, preventing you from speaking and eating.
What To Consider
If the tongue or cheek is lacerated and the dentist doesn’t stitch it up, then you should be given a referral to an oral surgeon. The mouth is pretty resilient and heals quickly, but sometimes it’s better to have it stitched up rather than just wait to have it fill in and heal because then you get these little pieces of scar tissue that can take years to go away.
In case of a cut or burned tongue.
When your tongue is injured it will hurt a lot. There will be swelling and can also bleed non-stop. You need to see a dentist quickly as these injuries can get infected no matter how minor it is.
What to consider in for this dental emergency
- See an oral surgeon or emergency dentist even if it’s the same day
- Use an ice cube on the swollen area until you get to your dentist appointment
- Pack some gauze onto that area of the tongue to minimize bleeding and put pressure on it
If You Have A Toothache
This could mean you have a decay, gum disease, cavity or bruxism.
What To Consider for this dental emergency
- Reduce inflammation by controlling the swelling. Take three Advils three times a day for three days (Seek medical advice first).
- Have an exam to identify the cause of the toothache. This will help you know the best way to deal with it.
- If You Have Something STuck Inbetween Your Teeth
The minute something gets stuck in your tooth a reaction happens, the body attacks it and causes inflammation and lots of pain. If you get a new filling this will fix a long-term problem because there will be no space for food to get lodged in there again.
What To Consider
Floss removes pain almost instantly. Using a string of dental floss helps remove the item easing the pain. It’s recommended to do this after every meal.
If a piece of regular floss is not helping you, get a flossing stick. It will help you get through tight spaces in the mouth.
If You Do Not Have Dental Insurance
- Find and get discounts for dental plans
- Contact your local dental school to get more information.
- Search on the internet for free clinics and health centers in your locality.
Can I Get Emergency Dental Treatment
If you are experiencing have an emergency dental event then you need to get help. You should always be able to access a dentist’s office or an emergency room. Contact us today if you need help and other offices are closed!
Who Do I Call For A Dental Emergency
Your dentist is mostly the go-to-person in case of a dental emergency. In some cases, though it is best to go straight to the emergency room if you are experiencing pain or uncontrollable bleeding.
If you are not in any kind of pain you can call your doctor, explain everything you’re feeling and schedule an appointment.
Can I Got To The Emergency Room For A Dental Emergency Or My Teeth
If a patient lives far away and their regular dentist is unavailable it makes sense to visit the emergency room for tooth pain.
Emergency Room Dental Extractions
Emergency dentists do everything to save a tooth. Sometimes extracting a tooth is their last resort just to make sure your oral health is fine.
Before extractions, x-rays and tests will be done to determine the best method to extract the tooth. Once it is decided, you will be prepped for the procedure.
Should I Go To The Hospital Or Dentist For A Dental Emergency
This will vary, like any other medical emergencies dental emergencies require levels of care depending on the impact of the situation. When to go to the hospital is when the dental emergency involves the face or mouth such as a jaw dislocation or fracture, serious infections that might be causing swallowing or breathing problems.
When it comes to seeing the dentist, some emergencies are not life-threatening but still, immediate attention needs to be given. Cracking a tooth or maybe getting one knocked out you can wait for a dentist to deal with this.