Are you suffering from unbearable toothaches, oral pain, or loose and broken teeth? Waiting a little longer might only make the situation worse. Many patients need to see an emergency dentist right away to save their teeth and avoid problems in the future. The professionals at Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry in Champions Gate, FL are here to help you assess if you need to seek emergency treatment.
When Do You Need to See an Emergency Dentist?
Some dental issues can’t wait until the next business day, especially when it involves unbearable pain and suffering. Postponing the treatment might threaten your overall health and wellbeing. It may also result in severe damage or permanent tooth loss.
As soon as you realize that you’re having a dental emergency, the best course of action to take is to secure an appointment with a dental professional. Your specialist will take careful steps to ensure that you’re getting adequate care and attention.
Physical Injuries and Trauma
Sustaining an injury affecting the gums, jaws, or teeth requires immediate dental care. You will notice that you might have loose, cracked, chipped, or knocked-out teeth. This type of injury may happen during sports, outdoor activities, or accidents.
Severe Pain and Infection
If your toothache has been bothering you for more than a day or two, it’s time to see an emergency dentist. You might be experiencing severe pain from decay or infection that requires medication and treatment. Without proper care, your symptoms may worsen and include fever or aching in your ears.
Other Times to Seek Care:
-
Unbearable toothache
- Presence of dental abscess
- Loose or knocked-out tooth
- Broken or shattered tooth
- Cracked or chipped tooth
- Mouth sores and gum bleeding
What Are the Risks If You Postpone Emergency Treatment?
A tooth abscess, together with severe pain and gum bleeding, requires medical attention as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter whether you have good pain tolerance or feel like you can still hold on for another day or two. Without urgent treatment, the infection can spread throughout the body. This can cause serious and even life-threatening conditions!
Dental emergencies from an injury can leave you with permanent tooth loss. In some cases, your dentist can still save a loose or knocked-out tooth if you visit their office immediately.
Delaying emergency treatment can interfere with your daily tasks such as chewing food, eating, and going to work. Dental pain and infection can be so severe that some patients experience swelling, fevers, and headaches.
How Do You Get an Emergency Dentist Appointment? 7 Urgent Steps to Take
1. Hold Your Knocked-Out Tooth in Place
This advice applies only to adults and not to children with milk teeth. If you’ve just suffered from an accident or injury, stay calm and try to hold your knocked-out tooth in place. You can bite down on a piece of clean towel or paper. Sustain this position until you’re able to see a dentist.
If you’re not able to re-insert the tooth on your own, make sure to place it in a clean plastic or glass container. Submerge it in milk or your saliva to keep it moist. Do not touch the root of the knocked-out tooth.
Later in the day, your dentist might still be able to re-implant a knocked-out tooth. That’s why it’s important to ensure that it’s healthy and properly handled.
2. Take Over-the-Counter Painkillers for a Severe Toothache
If you’re experiencing unbearable oral pain that’s keeping you from talking, eating, or opening your mouth, then you need to seek emergency care. Toothache is a sure sign that something isn’t right with your mouth or body, whether or not the said tooth looks healthy or clean.
To alleviate your pain and provide temporary relief, you may take an over-the-counter medicine such as paracetamol or Tylenol. Most of the time, this method works for patients who need to wait for their appointment on the next business day.
However, if the painkillers don’t seem to provide any comfort and you’re still doubling down in pain, it’s time to call your dentist. This could be a sign of a severe infection or tooth decay.
3. Apply a Cold Compress to the Affected Area
Are you suffering from a swelling jaw or inflammation in your gums? If a medicine is not readily available, a cold compress can help relieve your symptoms. Simply grab an ice pack or cold compress and rub it on the sore area. You may also soak a piece of cloth in cold water and dab it against your gums and teeth.
4. Brush and Floss Infected Areas
Abscessed gums are a sure sign of infection. They start as pimple-like sores that could be white, yellow, or red. As they worsen over time, they become painful, burst, and require emergency dental attention. When this happens, you should call a dentist immediately.
Some patients make the mistake of popping or squeezing out the abscess in their gums. Avoid this as much as possible and stick to brushing and flossing the area instead. You can also wash your mouth with warm water and baking soda, which has antibacterial properties. This will help reduce swelling or pain.
5. Rinse Your Mouth With Salt Water or Mouthwash
An abscessed tooth can cause terrible pain, swelling, or even bleeding in the gums. Before seeing your dentist, we recommend you rinse your mouth with warm water and salt (or fresh saltwater) to provide temporary relief. Salt has antibacterial properties that can temporarily ease the pain and reduce the severity of your infection.
Mouth sores, on the other hand, are not as life-threatening as tooth abscesses, but can still cause you pain and discomfort. You may take Tylenol and use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash. This helps ease the pain from mouth sores and kill germs in your mouth.
6. Control Bleeding in Your Oral Cavity
Any type of bleeding in the mouth should be approached with urgent care and attention. Did you find blood on your dental floss while cleaning your teeth? Most of the time, this means that you may have
gum disease or other non-urgent dental problems. But if you’re seeing blood in your saliva, this might mean you’re suffering from advanced gum disease or a worse medical condition.
If you’re experiencing uncontrollable bleeding in the mouth, keep your head elevated and make sure that you’ve got a companion to keep you in check. Call a dentist right away so they can properly assess your oral bleeding.
7. Reduce Swelling in the Mouth
Another common dental emergency is swelling. This may be caused by a serious infection or physical injury. Most of the time, swelling doesn’t heal on its own and requires immediate care from a dental specialist.
To reduce swelling, stay upright. This will regulate blood flow from your oral cavity and help reduce the swelling. Make sure that you’re seeing a dentist as soon as possible. Keep yourself hydrated and drink water.
What to Expect During Your Emergency Dental Appointment
After taking urgent steps while you’re at home, an emergency dentist should be available to assist you at their nearest clinic. You can expect to be provided with short-term relief for the pain. In case of physical trauma, you will be provided with treatment to potentially save your loose or knocked-out tooth.
Physical Exam and Medical History Review
Upon your arrival at the dentist’s office, he or she will look through your medical history and conduct a thorough examination. Expect to answer questions regarding your symptoms.
Most patients are asked about the following:
- When and how did the pain start?
- Where is the pain located?
- How severe is your pain?
- Were home remedies effective?
A physical examination to check your gums and teeth will be conducted. Depending on the case, your dentist may require an x-ray examination and other tests to make a proper diagnosis and determine the root cause of your emergency.
Assessment and Diagnosis
After a thorough examination, your dentist will determine what treatments can be performed to save your tooth and relieve you from pain. Sometimes, a root canal is needed to save your aching tooth. If an infection has been detected, your dentist will provide treatments to lessen the swelling and reduce its spread.
Cleaning and Treatment
If you’re visiting an emergency dentist due to a painful tooth abscess, he or she will clear it out and clean it. Expect the pockets between your gums and teeth to be thoroughly disinfected. This treatment alone can help provide immediate relief from pain.
If decay is present, your dentist will remove and fill the affected areas. However, if the decay has already gone “too deep” and removing the decay is no longer possible, a root canal treatment will be the next best option. You will be required to return for follow-up treatment since a root canal can take a few sessions to complete.
Dental Restoration
Damaged teeth caused by injury can be saved through dental restoration. If you’re suffering from a cracked or chipped tooth, this treatment can be recommended to you. A dentist will use a bonding agent to attach synthetic material to your damaged tooth. Later on, he or she will shape it before light curing (or hardening) the material.
The good news is that this treatment takes one sitting only. Other dental restoration solutions may also be offered to you, such as dental crowns and veneers. This will help restore your dental health and make sure that your recent injury is not affecting the quality of your daily life.
Re-Attachment or Implants
If your tooth has been knocked out because of an accident, your dentist can still reattach it. That’s why it’s important to follow the urgent step we mentioned regarding keeping your tooth clean and preserved.
If a re-attachment is no longer a viable option, your dentist can suggest dentures, implants, or a dental bridge. These might require a follow-up checkup which can be scheduled at your most convenient time.
Medical Prescription
The last step in your emergency dental appointment may include going home with a medical prescription. Other times, you may be prescribed with painkillers and antibiotics and advised to come back for a follow-up treatment.
Receive Urgent Treatment to Restore Your Dental Health
If you’re experiencing severe dental problems that require immediate attention, do not hesitate to contact your emergency dentist. By waiting another day or two, you might miss the chance to save your teeth. Remember, maintaining your dental health is important because natural teeth aren’t replaceable.