Some Common Dental Emergencies & How You Can Handle Them
What is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency refers to an oral problem that requires instant treatment intervention or a temporary aid. When appropriate intervention measures are delayed, dental emergencies often become worse with every minute that passes. Therefore, being well-informed on how to identify a dental emergency and the appropriate first temporary aid to take can come in handy in case there’s such an occurrence.
What are The Different Types of Dental Emergencies?
Below are the most occurring oral emergencies patients present with:
1) Severe Tooth Pain
There are several oral issues that are not classified as oral emergencies that can cause tooth pain. Often, the pain is mild and responds to numbing oral gel or over-the-counter pain medications. In such cases, you need to visit our dentist in Pflugerville, TX, but emergency dental care is not necessary.
Suppose you, however, experience severe dental pain that cannot be relieved or is unresponsive to over-the-counter medications. In that case, there are high chances you have a serious dental health problem that needs urgent attention.
2) A Fractured/Broken Tooth
A tooth can fracture or break because of so many factors, and depending on the magnitude of the force behind it, the fracture can be minor or major. Minor fractures can weaken a tooth’s structure, cause tooth sensitivity, and leave sharp edges but still do not constitute an oral emergency.
Deep fractures and larger chips, on the other hand, need urgent dental care. This is because they leave the tooth pulp exposed, causing extreme sensitivity and putting you at risk of infection.
3) Knocked-out Tooth
Having one or several teeth knocked out as a result of severe oral trauma qualifies as an oral emergency and requires one to visit an emergency dentist ASAP. Unfortunately, the longer it takes for you to get emergency dental care, the slimmer your chances of saving your natural teeth get.
4) A Dental Abscess
An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms beneath a tooth or on the gum tissue due to severe oral bacteria infection. A dental abscess poses a serious problem to your health and needs to be treated urgently.
5) Broken Braces
Orthodontic appliances such as traditional metal braces are made to withstand wear and tear from biting forces, but they sometimes break. When they do, the wires may stick out and cut or poke your tongue or cheeks. Since it also disrupts orthodontic treatment, dental experts recommend visiting an orthodontist or dentist as early as possible.
6) Swelling
Swelling around or inside the oral cavity is an indication of a possible serious infection. It is an emergency that needs immediate medical evaluation and diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment.
How to Handle Different Dental Emergencies?
When an oral emergency occurs, you need to act swiftly and wisely when providing first aid, or you may worsen the problem. The following are tips on the first responsive treatment to administer when common dental emergencies occur:
- Toothache – Avoid OTC medication; rather, place a cold compress on your cheek and call our emergency dentist at 78660.
- Chipped/Broken Tooth – Use warm water to rinse your oral cavity, apply a clean gauze to the bleeding site, and then use a cold compress on the facial area closest to the chipped/broken tooth to relieve pain and reduce swelling.
- Broken Orthodontics – Try to push the broken metallic wire into a comfortable position, and if not possible, use a cotton ball or gauze to cover the part exposed. Visit your dentist.
- Knocked-out Tooth – Collect the tooth by its crown, rinse off its root if dirty, and soak it in milk or carefully push it back to its socket to preserve it for emergency restoration.
Get Emergency Dental Service Near You
Experiencing dental health symptoms is, without a doubt, stressful, and examining your oral cavity by yourself can be difficult. In addition, sometimes, one is never sure if the problem or symptom constitutes an oral emergency and whether or not they should go to an emergency dentist, use homemade remedies, or visit the dentist later. If you, however, present with any of the above-mentioned conditions, seeking emergency dental service near you should be your top priority.
The Grand Family Dental offers emergency dentistry in Pflugerville, TX. Book an appointment with us through our website or visit our emergency dentist for quality and affordable dental healthcare services, including restorative, preventive, cosmetic, and emergency procedures.