Understanding Dental Emergencies the Right Way
Your dentist should be your first call when dealing with a dental problem. But what if you're struggling with a holiday, weekend or midnight problem? You will probably need an emergency dentist or even an emergency visit to a clinic if you deal with a dental problem outside of the normal working hours.
How to identify a dental emergency?
According to American Family Physicists, approximately 22% of people suffered from oral and dental pain in the last half of the year.
However, the emergency should not be considered for any kind of dental situation. Asking yourself these questions will help you take a decision whether you can delay for your dentist to see you or whether you must take an ER trip or see an emergency dentist:
You're in serious pain. Signs of emergency are severe bleeding and extreme pain.
Did you lose your tooth? Rapid processing can save a tooth.
Have you got your teeth loose? Adults never should lose their teeth. A loose tooth is a grave problem, even without pain.
Are you infected? An abscess or severe infection can be life threatening and should not wait for treatment. You may see your gums swell or knot or swell around your face.
Are you mouth bleeding? This is an emergency potential sign.
An urgent procedure is generally considered any dental problem requiring medical attention to stop bleeding, relieve extreme pain or save a tooth. This also applies to serious and life-threatening infections. You may experience a dental emergency if you encounter these symptoms. Call and explain the condition immediately to your dentist. You may need to visit an emergency dentist if your doctor’s office is not open.
Emergencies of Common Dentures
If you are living with some common dental emergencies, this is you should be aware of until you reach a dentist.
Tooth knocked out
According to the American Othodontics Association, it is possible for your dentist to reinsert your tooth quickly after a tooth has been knocked off.
Take the tooth carefully by the crown or head, make sure the root is not reached and rinse it carefully without scrubbing. Return the tooth into the socket if possible. If it is not possible, place your tooth inside in a container full with milk quickly reach the dentist to increase your chances.
Tooth Chipped or Cracked
Clean your mouth with lukewarm water and apply a wet cloth on your face to prevent swelling if you are suffering from an extremely painful or severe fracture. Go for acetaminophen to reduce the pain, but do not use painkiller or addictive gel as it can have adverse effect on your gums.
Tooth Abscessed
A dental abscess is a serious, life-threatening condition that caused an infection in a bag of pus in the tooth. A tooth abscess can lead to fever, hot or cold dental sensitivity, and persistent toothache, and tender lymph nodes, swell in the face and pimple bumps on the gums next to the infected tooth. A tooth abscess can cause fever.
This is an emergency when the infection propagate into your jaw, tissue and other areas of the body. To reduce pain and pull the pus to the surface, rinse several times your mouth with mild saltwater before you see the dentist.
How to prevent possible emergencies?
Dental emergency prevention is best done by remaining proactive in oral hygiene, by conducting routine checks with your dentist. Your dentist will find out whether there is any loose fittings of crowns and signs of decay, gum disease or infection during those visits. If you need a dental emergency to remove your tooth, carefully follow the instructions of your dentist in order to prevent potential risks, such as the dry socket or infection.
Before they become an emergency, a customized treatment plan can be established to address these issues. You can also be careful what your teeth and body say to see for signs of a possible emergency. Come to Comprehensive Family Dentistry in Oklahoma if you need an emergency dentist.
**Disclaimer: This content is not a professional dental or medical advice and does not imply a relationship between patient and care provider or the doctors.