Dental emergencies can happen at any time. Maybe you have a filling pop out, a crown dislodge, a tooth chip, or even an adult tooth fall out. Dental emergencies can be frightening, so it’s important to ensure you have an emergency dentist’s number at all times for same-day dental emergencies. Not only can knowing an emergency dentist’s number save you stress, it can save your dental health in an emergency.
Here are some dental emergencies and how to respond. Always contact your emergency dentist or dental team in case of a dental emergency. For a medical emergency, dial 9-1-1 and get immediate medical attention. If a dental and medical emergency overlap, resolve the medical emergency first before seeking dental care.
Types of Dental Emergencies and Responses
Dental emergencies are more common than you think. Whether you chip your tooth or dislodge an adult tooth, dental emergencies happen. Some dental emergencies, such as a broken or dislodged tooth, benefit from same-day care. Quick action can help save your tooth and give your dentist a better chance of fixing the tooth instead of performing a total extraction in the case of a fractured tooth.
If you chip, break, or knock out your tooth and can find the tooth, place it in a moist environment, such as in milk, in your cheek, or an ADA-approved dental rescue product. If you can, put a knocked-out tooth back in the socket without touching your root to preserve the space and the tooth.
A knocked-out tooth counts as a same-day dental emergency, as speed is of the essence to save your broken tooth. Of course, in the case of a chipped or cracked tooth, immediate treatment can resolve pain and make it more likely the chipped portion of the tooth can be reattached, so make sure to contact your dentist immediately.
You can take over-the-counter pain medication for dental pain before visiting your dentist in the case of a knocked out, chipped, cracked, or damaged tooth. Just be sure to follow all medication instructions and tell your dentist ahead of time. You can also use a cold pack wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling and help with pain while you wait.
Other dental emergencies include constant dental pain, infections, and other signs of an immediate problem. If you have throbbing dental pain, redness, soreness, a bad taste in your mouth/bad breath that won’t go away, you may have a dental infection.
Treating a dental infection as soon as possible is important for patient comfort and teeth health. You can take over-the-counter medications for your pain and apply a cool pack wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling while you wait for your appointment. Just keep track of any medications you take before going to the dentist, as they may ask.
If you have questions about same-day dental emergencies and treatment, contact Coolbreeze Dentistry at (972) 432-8811. We’d happily answer your questions or help you make an appointment today.
Source(s):
https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/all-topics-a-z/dental-emergencies