Everyone will likely experience tooth pain at some point in their life. Determining whether that tooth pain or dental issue counts as a dental emergency is something that may need more consideration. When do you need to seek immediate treatment, and when can you hold off and book an appointment during regular hours. Here is how to determine when you’re having a dental emergency and where to go if you’re having a dental emergency.
What Causes A Dental Emergency
Any number of things could cause a dental emergency, but generally speaking, most don’t come out of nowhere. You will always have a few warning signs. Here are the two main causes of a dental emergency.
Traumatic event
A traumatic event can be classified as any sudden action leading up to a dental accident. Dental emergencies that follow a traumatic event typically are quite serious and painful but onset is fast. You may be playing a high contact sport, get hit and lose a tooth. You could also very well hit your head and bite through a lip or your tongue.
Infection
Dental infections, if left untreated, have the potential to become dental emergencies. Infections become a problem when they spread deep into the tooth, nerves, or bloodstream. Tooth infections often start off with a dull toothache but swiftly transform into a constant unbearable pain. Abscess teeth and serious gum disease are two of the main dental emergencies. If you’re looking for a dentist in modesto to sort out gum diseases, you can make an appointment here.
How To Identify A Dental Emergency
There are four significant ways you can identify a dental emergency.
Blood
If there is an overwhelming amount of blood pooling from you or someone else’s mouth, more than likely they are experiencing a dental emergency. Bleeding needs to be controlled by a professional before any additional measures can be taken.
Pain
Serious pain needs to be treated as an emergency. Your body sends out pain signals when it’s in serious distress. Managing pain can be done with dental anesthetics.
Cracked or Missing Tooth
When you have a cracked or missing tooth this is a dental emergency. Especially if your entire tooth has come out. If a crown you have falls out this may not be a dental emergency. If you can, use some dental adhesive and fit the crown back into place. Book an appointment with your dentist when they open.
Serious Swelling
Serious swelling usually indicates your body is attempting to fight off an infection or trauma of some sort. An emergency dentist will be able to determine what exactly the cause is and what can be done to address the swelling and alleviate any other symptoms.
Why See An Emergency Dentist
You should see an emergency dentist as soon as possible to:
Stop Bleeding
Blood loss is a real concern for anyone bleeding heavily following a dental emergency. Without proper medical attention, you could be faced with a number of other problems and risk developing an infection.
Reduce and Manage Pain
Experiencing pain is never someone’s ideal. An emergency dentist will help you reduce any immediate pain you’re experiencing, and provide solutions to manage any future pain you may experience.
Save a Tooth
While not always possible, an emergency dentist may be able to save your tooth. No matter if it’s cracked, chipped, or completely knocked out, your dentist will do whatever they can to save your tooth and restore your smile. The same goes for saving a crown.
Address infection
If you leave an infection unaddressed, it can lead to a contaminated bloodstream and be a threat to your life. An emergency dentist will remove the infection and administer antibiotics.
Where To Do For A Dental Emergency
When to go to the hospital
Go to the hospital immediately if you think you may be concussed, have problems breathing, think you have broken a bone. If your life could be in danger or you need serious medical treatment, you always need to see an emergency doctor rather than a dentist.
When to go to an emergency dentist
You should see an emergency dentist if you need special dental tools to solve the problem and you are not immediately at risk of dying. If you get one of your teeth knocked out, you should immediately call an emergency dentist and place the tooth in a glass of milk to protect the calcium and nerves. Seeing a dentist rather than a doctor will give you more of a fighting chance as far as keeping the tooth goes.
Finding an Emergency Dentist
Finding the right emergency dentist is essential. Though when experiencing a dental emergency, you may be pressed for time. The best emergency dentist to go to when you’re in the midst of an emergency is the one you can find. If you have the time, take a look at the reviews and what other people have to say about the service. This only takes a few minutes but there’s a big difference between a 2 star dentist and a 4.9 star dentist.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
The best way to avoid dealing with dental emergencies is by preventing them in the first place. Dental emergencies in general can be prevented by being careful and taking precautions. If you are playing sports, use a custom mouthguard to prevent teeth from being knocked out. Avoid infections by thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day. Avoid chipping your teeth by using caution when it comes to making food choices; and certainly by avoiding opening packages with your teeth.
By seeing an emergency dentist, you can prevent any issues from getting worse and will put you back on the right track dentally. Are you experiencing a dental emergency? Call your local emergency dentist or head to the hospital.
