Dental emergency Treatment for all ages
Dental
Emergency Care
Most dental appointments can wait, but when you have a tooth get knocked out, a severe toothache, or some other type of urgent problem, you will need emergency dental care. Until then, you will need to know how to handle the situation. Below are a few common types of dental emergencies and what to do until you can receive professional dental care.
Knocked Out Tooth
Teeth can get knocked out for a variety of reasons, including vehicular accidents and violent collisions, such as during sports activities. In most cases, a knocked out tooth can be replaced by your dentist if you take action within an hour or so.
In the meantime:
- Pick up the knocked out tooth only by the crown, or upper chewing surface. Gently rinse it with water if it is dirty.
- If possible, place the tooth in a glass of milk, which has properties that helps preserve the viability of the tooth. Otherwise, you can place it between your inner cheek and gums.
- Contact your dentist or emergency dentist as soon as possible for the best chance of replacing the tooth.
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums are a situation that may or may not qualify as a true dental emergency, depending upon the cause. For example, it is possible for your gums to bleed if you brush your teeth too hard.
Another possible cause of bleeding gums is the development of periodontal disease, or gum disease. Although this is a serious condition, it does not warrant an emergency appointment. If you suspect gum disease, contact your dentist soon to make an appointment.
A situation in which bleeding gums can be an emergency is when the gums began to bleed after some type of violent collision. Even though the gums will tend to stop bleeding on their own, you may have experienced undetected damage to a tooth or tooth root. For this reason, make an emergency dental appointment to get it checked out.
Chipped or Cracked Tooth
A minor chip on a tooth does not warrant an emergency dental visit. Your dentist can probably repair such a tooth with a composite material. If you have a major tooth fracture, this is a true dental emergency requiring immediate dental care.
Severe Toothache
Severe tooth pain is often the result of significant tooth decay that has begun to infect or inflame nerves within the tooth. The main goal of your dentist is always to preserve your natural teeth. So if you are experiencing severe tooth pain, contact them as soon as possible for an emergency visit. They will be able to find the source of your tooth pain, provide prompt pain relief, and treat the affected tooth.
For More Information
If you are still in doubt as to whether a specific situation warrants emergency dental care, always play it safe and contact us to receive a recommendation on the steps that you should take. Most dental emergencies have good outcomes if the patient receives prompt intervention and the appropriate treatment.
