If you have a dental issue that needs immediate attention, it is considered an emergency. In all dental emergencies, treatment is not always necessary. However, you need dental emergency care if you have facial bones that have been broken, bleeding that does not stop, or pain that is not relieved by medication. In most cases, a dental emergency calls for immediate action. There are some dental or gum injuries that can get worse and cause more harm. If you have these types of dental emergencies, you should call emergency dentists right away or go to the emergency room for care.
Extreme tooth pain
First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. To get rid of any stuck food, use dental floss. Apply a cold compress to your cheek or mouth’s outer surface if it is swollen. Use over-the-counter analgesics like:
- Acetaminophen,
- Naproxen, or
- Ibuprofen.
Badly cracked tooth
Any tooth fragments that have broken off should be saved and rinsed. Warm water should be used to rinse your mouth. If there is bleeding, place a piece of gauze over the area for about 10 minutes, or until the bleeding stops. To reduce any swelling and relieve pain from a broken or chipped tooth, place a cold compress against the outside of your mouth, cheek, or lip. Make an appointment with emergency dentists right away.
Knocked out tooth
The tooth should be taken out, held by the crown (the part that is typically visible above the gum line), and the tooth root should be washed with water. Do not scrub it or take out any tissue pieces that are still adhered. Put your tooth back in its socket if you can. Ascertain which way it should be facing. Never try to force it.
If it is not possible to put your tooth back in its socket, place it in a small container of milk (or if milk is unavailable – in a cup of water with 1 pinch table salt or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth). Visit emergency dentists right away in any situation. Putting a knocked-out tooth back in its socket within an hour gives your dentist the best chance of saving it.
Partially extruded tooth
Right away, visit emergency dentists. Apply a cold compress to the cheek or outside of your mouth in the affected area up until the time you get to your dentist’s office to relieve pain. If necessary, take an over-the-counter analgesic like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen.
Tooth abscess
Abscesses are infected swellings that resemble pimples and develop around a tooth’s root or in the space between your teeth and gums. A serious condition known as an abscess can harm nearby teeth and surrounding tissue. If the infection is not treated, it could spread to other areas of your body or cause swelling in your face or jaw.
You should visit emergency dentists as soon as possible if you have a dental abscess. Try gargling with a mild saline solution (1/2 tsp table salt in 8 water ounces) several times per day to relieve the discomfort and encourage the pus to come to the surface.
Serious soft tissue damage
Your tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips are all examples of soft tissues that can be injured and may bleed as a result. If you experience any bleeding, it’s important to visit your dentist or an emergency room at a hospital as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep applying pressure to the bleeding area with gauze to help stop the bleeding.
Lost or damaged dental filling
Dislodged or falling out of place old dental restorations are common. Use an over-the-counter dental cement or a piece of sugarless gum to fill a cavity if your filling is broken or missing (sugar-filled gum will hurt your tooth). Visit the dentist as soon as possible.
Conclusion
There are also circumstances that are not dental emergencies. However, keep in mind that you should seek immediate medical or dental attention if you experience severe bleeding or pain. Your dentist will typically treat you in their office if you have a dental emergency, such as a broken or knocked-out tooth. You should go straight to the emergency room for more severe injuries, like broken facial bones. Your dentist should be contacted right away if you have a dental emergency so that he or she can give you more information. Many emergency dentists have an after-hours emergency number you can call. Visit your local urgent care facility or emergency room if you do not have a dentist giving you guidance already.
