Gum disease, tooth decay, and chipped teeth are some of the most common dental emergencies. While you may prevent a dental emergency with good oral hygiene, this is one of the best ways of preserving your oral health. However, you must also know what to do with dental emergencies to prevent long-term damage or tooth loss.
This article will take you through what an emergency dental problem is, the most common dental emergencies, and how to respond to one to restore your good oral health immediately.
Emergency dentistry is a branch of dentistry dealing with dental problems that require immediate medical attention. Emergency dentistry is important as it addresses problems like severe pain, trauma to your mouth, and discomfort that may cause severe bleeding or lacerations to your gums and fracture or dislodge your tooth.
Seven of the common dental problems that require urgent dental care include:
Tooth pain is common in most dental problems, and the cause should be identified so that it can be easily taken care of. The two main causes of tooth pain are pulp infections and when something is stuck between your teeth. When you have a sudden pain that progressively worsens or becomes intense, immediately visit your dentist. You can apply a cold compress to alleviate the discomfort as you wait.
You may have your tooth knocked out when participating in a sports activity or maybe when involved in an accident. When this happens, pick up the tooth by the crown and not the root part; if dirty, rinse it off. You can try returning the tooth to the socket. If that’s not possible, place the piece of tooth in a glass of milk and carry it to the dentist. If you do not have milk around you, then try putting it between your jawbone and the tongue to help preserve your tooth, and immediately seek urgent dental care.
It is normal to have some bleeding after a tooth exaction procedure, however, if this persists even an hour later, you need to call your dentist. However, you can place a gauze pad over the extraction site and apply pressure by biting down the gauze. Our emergency dentist in Bridge City, TX suggests avoiding rinsing, eating, drinking, sucking, and spitting.
Chips and cracks on your teeth can happen when you bite down hard objects, use your teeth to do other things besides chewing and biting, or because of an accident. If you also grind or clench your teeth, you are more susceptible to cracking or chipping your teeth. If there are any fragments, rinse them, preserve them in a glass of milk and bring them with you to your emergency dentist near you.
Soft tissues of the mouth include gums, lips, tongue, and the inside of your cheeks. When one of these tissues is injured, you must call your dentist immediately. Soft tissue injuries like punctures, lacerations, and tears should be raised with warm water, after which you can apply pressure to control bleeding.
Dental braces are tough. The wires and brackets are designed to withstand any wear and tear with eating, chewing, and even talking. However, they can break and stick out, poking your cheeks and gums. When this happens, try pushing the broken wire into a more comfortable position. If that is not possible, cover the exposed end with orthodontic wax, a piece of gauze, or a small cotton ball. Then, inform your dentist about what is happening.
Infections in your mouth, especially near your tooth’s root, are serious; if left untreated, they can spread to the surrounding gum tissue, teeth, and even the rest of your body. An abscess is a painful, pimple-like swollen spot. You can rinse your mouth with a mid-water solution, apply ice cubes to the swollen for temporary relief, and visit emergency dentistry immediately.
It is essential to be aware of the most common dental emergencies you may encounter and understand how to take care of them before seeking medical attention. If you are also looking for urgent dental care in Bridge City, call us now or book an appointment with us at Edgerly Dentistry!