When to Call for Emergency Dental Care

02
Aug
2023
Posted by: coastalsmiles  /   Category: Uncategorized   /   No Comments

Are you tired of tooth problems that come up out of nothing and ruin your day? Having a broken tooth or being in pain can be stressful. But don’t be afraid! We’ve covered you with expert advice on what to do in a medical emergency. If you ever have a dental emergency, you can find all the information you need in this blog post. So, keep reading to find out the gum disease treatment & how to keep your smile healthy even when things are tough.

What is a dental emergency?

You should see an emergency dentist as soon as possible if you have a dental emergency. An emergency dentist can give you the care you need to stop hurting and improve your mouth health.

An emergency dentist is a dentist who specialises in handling dental crises. Dentists are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people who need them. They can give you the care to stop hurting and make your mouth healthier.

If you need to see a dentist immediately, call an emergency dentist. Dentists are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people who need them. They can give you the care to stop hurting and make your mouth healthier.

Why does it essential to get to an emergency dentist as soon as possible?

There are three main reasons why you should go to the dentist right away if you have a toothache:

  • The odds of maintaining a healthy set of teeth will improve. If you hurt your teeth and get to an emergency dentist quickly, your dentist is more likely to be able to fix or save your tooth. Find as much of the tooth as possible and bring it with you, even if it’s broken.
  • Don’t go through the pain that you don’t have to. If you have a tooth emergency, you are in much pain. The longer you wait for care, the longer you will suffer for no reason. An emergency dentist can see you immediately and give you respect and painkillers.
  • Lessen the chance of getting sick. Any damage is a risk of getting an infection. The more damage an infection can do, the longer it goes without treatment. If you don’t treat a mouth infection, it can spread to other parts of your body and make you very sick.
  • All these things show how important it is to get emergency dental care immediately.

When emergency dental care is needed

People hesitate to go to an emergency dentist when they need to figure out how bad the problem is because emergency care is usually more expensive than a normal appointment. Here are five times when they need the help of an emergency dentist to make things easier for them:

Toothache:

Several oral problems can cause tooth pain, and it’s important to find out what’s wrong so that it can be fixed. Two common reasons for toothaches are infections in the pulp and something stuck between two teeth. Seeing an emergency dentist is especially important when tooth pain occurs quickly, worsens, or is very bad. In the meantime, a cold pack may ease some of the pain.

Injury to Soft Tissue:

Soft tissues populate the mouth, including the lips, gums, interior of the cheeks, and tongue. Contact your emergency dentist immediately if you experience an issue with any of these areas. Depending on how serious your dental emergency is, you may need to visit either the emergency department or an urgent care centre. The first step in stopping the bleeding from soft-tissue injuries, including lacerations, punctures, and tears, is to rinse the wound with warm water.

Swollen or Bleeding Gums:

Even though rare gum irritation is not a dental emergency, bleeding gums, especially if they are also painful and swollen, can be a sign of a bigger health or dental problem.
It is not normal to have gums that bleed for no clear reason. If you have any of these signs, you should immediately see your doctor.

Broken Jaw:

It can be very painful to break your mouth. Do what you can to ease the pain as you visit your dentist or the nearest emergency room. A cold pack can help with the swelling. You can also take over-the-counter painkillers that help with inflammation. Make every effort to keep your mouth shut and not move your jaw.

Infection:

If you don’t treat a cavity, it can lead to an infection, which could become a dental problem. As decay moves towards the root of a tooth, a person may feel intense pain, bleed, and have swollen tissue around the tooth. Sometimes, pus will fill a painful sore and cause it to hurt. When this happens, you need to see a dentist right away. The dentist must lance the abscess to drain the fluid and fix the cavity. When tooth decay is so bad that it causes an infection or abscess, you might need an emergency root treatment.

Chipped Tooth:

When someone breaks a tooth, they don’t always have to go to the doctor immediately. This depends on which tooth is broken and how bad it is. If the broken tooth is a molar used for heavy eating, it is more important to get it checked out right away. Also, if the break is sharp and cuts the gums or lips, the patient will want it fixed as soon as possible.

If a break, crack, or split is deep enough to show the tooth’s root, you need to see a dentist immediately so bacteria don’t get in and cause an illness. And any break that hurts a lot or bleeds a lot should be looked at right away.

Dental abscess:

Abscesses are swollen spots or diseases that look like pimples around the root of a tooth or in the space between your gums and teeth. An abscess is a major problem that can hurt the surrounding tissue and teeth. If you don’t treat the infection, it could make your face or jaw swell up or spread to other parts of your body. You should go to the doctor immediately if you have a tooth abscess. In the meantime, try rinsing your mouth with a light salt-water solution several times daily to ease the pain and bring the pus to the surface.

Missing Filling:

If you don’t have a filling, your tooth can easily break or chip because it lacks extra support. It could even reveal the nerves of the tooth, which can cause several other dental problems that need treatment immediately. Immediately call your doctor.

Food/Object Lodged Between Teeth:

When you can’t get a piece of food or something else out of between your teeth, no matter how much you brush or floss, you should go to the dentist right away. If you don’t get a professional to remove the object, it could cause your teeth to move or give you gum irritation, gum disease, tooth loss, or even an infection.

Tips for Handling a Dental Emergency

If you have a dental emergency, you should call your doctor as soon as possible. If you can’t get in touch with your dentist or don’t have one, go to the nearby hospital’s emergency room.

Tell the office or triage nurse that you have a dental emergency so you can be seen more quickly.

Tell the dentist or doctor what happened and how bad the pain is when you see them. Tell them if you are allergic to any medicines or have had bad responses to anaesthesia.

The dentist or doctor will most likely give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area before treating you. This could mean cleaning and fixing the tooth, pulling it out, or giving antibiotics if there’s an illness.

After your emergency visit, do everything your dentist tells you to do to care for your teeth and gums at home. Make a follow-up visit with your dentist so they can see how you’re doing and make sure there are no more problems.

How about going to the dentist or doctor?

Even though most dentist offices keep fairly regular hours, some see patients on Saturdays or one or two late nights a week; dentists often make exceptions for situations. They will see patients anytime or send them to a closed emergency dental clinic 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A person with a dental emergency shouldn’t go to the hospital emergency room or a medical urgent care centre. Just like a dentist wouldn’t be able to set a broken arm, a medical doctor won’t have the knowledge or tools to fix a tooth or other oral problem.

One exception would be a dental problem due to an accident or other stress. For example, a car accident could break a person’s teeth, but the person should see a doctor first to ensure everything is okay. They will want to fix the possible broken jaw and put in any stitches immediately, but they can wait to fix the damage to the teeth.

The Final Words

It’s crucial to know where to turn for assistance in the event of a dental emergency, which can otherwise cause undue stress. By using the tips above, which came from our experts in the field, you can be better ready for situations and know what to do when they happen. If you are prepared and know what to do in a dental emergency, you can reach out to us for any gum disease treatment, our team of experts will resolve it easily!

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6419 Carolina Beach Rd Suite E | Wilmington, NC 28412
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