An oral emergency typically refers to an unexpected serious gum or tooth injury. Dental emergencies are unpredictable and can occur to anyone at any moment, anytime. Knowing how to act during dental emergencies can help to prevent severe damage and improve the chances of a successful outcome when you visit an emergency dentist.
Also, knowing how to identify an oral emergency and visiting an emergency dentist at the earliest convenience will prevent complications that can lead to tooth loss.
Compiled below are steps you should take in different oral emergencies.
A simple toothache doesn’t fit to be classified as an oral emergency, but persistent severe tooth pain does, as it’s a clear indication something is wrong. When you have an unexplained severe toothache, schedule an appointment with your dentist. In the meantime, you can rinse your oral cavity with warm water, floss to get rid of stuck food particles, and apply a cold compress if there’s external swelling.
Several factors can contribute to a chipped tooth, including oral trauma, teeth grinding, and teeth misuse, like opening a bottle of beer or chewing on hard things. When you mishandle a chipped tooth, it can easily deteriorate into a broken one. When you chip a tooth, the first action should be geared toward saving the broken pieces. Rinse the broken part and your mouth with warm water.
If there’s bleeding, use a gauze piece to cold compress that area until it stops. Next, give your dentist a call or visit an emergency dentist near you.
Traditional braces used to straighten misaligned teeth comprise metal brackets cemented to teeth and archwires that constantly put gentle pressure on teeth causing them to shift to the desired position. Sometimes the brace archwire may dislodge, break, or detach from its bracket.
When this happens, try to push the brace wire back using the eraser part of a pencil. If this becomes impossible, use a small gauze or cotton ball to cover the protruding end. Visit a dental office near you as soon as possible.
Gums can bleed because of various factors. It is important to first determine the trigger causing the bleeding before deciding on the next action. You can have bleeding gums due to periodontal disease, oral cancer, or severe gingivitis. In the case of bleeding gums, raise your head upward and avoid touching the bleeding site to prevent the spreading of infection. Book an emergency appointment with a dentist near you offering emergency dentistry.
When you, unfortunately, have a tooth knocked out, pick it up without holding the root part, clean it, and try to place it back in. If this fails, soak it in a cup of milk and see our dentist in 30324.
If you have a dental crown and it accidentally falls off, try to secure it and store it safely until you see an emergency dentist.
Although it’s impossible to prevent all oral emergencies as they are usually unexpected, there are various emergency dentistry treatments done to restore functionality and appearance of the flawed tooth. Some emergency dentistry procedures available at New Face Dentistry, emergency dentistry in NF Dentistry, include root canal treatment, dental fillings, tooth reattachment, and tooth extraction.
You can prevent dental emergencies by: