If you have a dental problem, your dentist should be your first call. However sometimes you could encounter a problem in unexpected time like a weekend or midnight. If you happen to have dental problem in unexpected time, you need an emergency dentist to take care of your problem.
Here are some things to consider:
- What is a Dental Emergency?
- What is not a Dental Emergency?
- Common Dental Emergencies
- How to Avoid Potential Dental Emergencies
It’s important to know what is a real emergency that can threaten your oral health and overall health. Here’s what you should know about dental emergencies.
What is considered a Dental Emergency?
About 22 percent of people have experienced dental or oral pain in the last six months, According to American Family Physician. It shows that dental emergencies could be very common issue.
However, not every dental problem should be considered an dental emergency. To help you determine if you can wait to see your dentist or if you need to see your emergency dentist immediately, the following questions would help:
- Are you in severe pain?
- Have you lost a tooth?
- Do you have loose teeth?
- Do you have an infection? You may notice swelling or pus your gums.
- Are you bleeding from the mouth?
In general, any dental problem that needs immediate treatment to stop bleeding, alleviate severe pain, or save a tooth is considered a dental emergency. This consideration also applies to severe infections that can be life-threatening.
If you have any of these symptoms, you may be experiencing a dental emergency. Make an appointment with your emergency dentist immediately and describe what happened.
What is not a Dental Emergency?
Sometimes dental problems that seem critical can actually wait for a day or so, then it is not considered as a dental emergency
For example, a chipped or cracked tooth is an emergency if the fracture is very painful or has left sharp fragments that cause trauma inside your mouth. If the tooth is chipped but does not hurt, you can wait to see your dentist.
A mild toothache can also wait for treatment as long as the pain is not severe and you do not have symptoms of an abscess such as swelling of the face, bumps on the gums, or a high fever.
If you have lost a crown or filling and have no pain or sensitivity, you can likely wait a few days to see your dentist. With a lost crown, you can try putting the crown back in place temporarily with denture adhesive or OTC dental cement — please do not use any super glue.m
Common Dental Emergencies
If you are a dental emergency patient in Brookline and Boston suffering from any of the following common dental emergencies, here’s what you need to know about caring for the problem until you can get to your emergency dentist.
Knocked-Out Tooth
According to the American Association of Endodontists, with quick action after a tooth has been knocked out, it’s possible your dentist will be able to reinsert and preserve your tooth.
Carefully pick up the tooth by the crown or the top, taking care not to touch the root, and carefully rinse it without scrubbing. If possible, reinsert the tooth in the socket. If you can’t, place the tooth in a small container of milk and get to the dentist quickly to increase the chances of saving your tooth.
Cracked or Chipped Tooth
If you have a very painful or serious fracture, clean your mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to the outside of your face to reduce swelling. Take acetaminophen for the pain but avoid using a painkiller or numbing gel because it can damage your gums.
Abscessed Tooth
A dental abscess is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition in which a pocket of pus in the tooth has led to an infection. A tooth abscess may cause fever, tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, a persistent toothache, tender lymph nodes in your neck, swelling in the face, and a pimple-like bump on your gums near the infected tooth.
This condition is an emergency as the infection can spread into your jaw, surrounding tissue, and to other areas of the body. Before you can see the dentist, rinse your mouth with mild salt water several times to reduce the pain and draw the pus to the surface
How to Avoid Potential Emergencies
The best way to prevent dental emergencies is to stay proactive in your oral hygiene and have routine check-ups with your dentist. During these visits, your dentist will check for loose fillings and crowns as well as signs of decay, infection, and gum disease.
A custom treatment plan can be created to address these problems before they develop into an emergency. You can also pay attention to what your teeth and body tell you to watch for signs that you may be heading toward an emergency.
Although a comprehensive dental hygiene routine can help keep these circumstances at bay, dental emergencies happen. If you’re dealing with a dental emergency, time is of the essence to prevent the situation from getting worse. CORON DENTAL is the best emergency dental office in Brookline, MA to help you if you are experiencing a dental emergency.