5 Common Types of Dental Emergencies

When someone in the family sustains a major injury or has a sudden health issue, he/she is taken to the emergency room. The reason is that the sooner medical attention is provided, the less that damage and the faster the recovery. The same logic applies to dental emergencies. Any standard emergency room may provide treatment, but in such cases, why not go to a specialist - a dentist that provides emergency dental services? Everyone suffers from dental problems sooner or later, and when they occur, the pain and discomfort can often be completely debilitating. Having the number of an "emergency dentist near me" on speed dial means expert medical assistance can be accessed with the minimum delay.

Common Dental Emergencies

• Toothaches: Toothaches can have various causes, ranging from physical injury to infection or having something stuck between the teeth. The onset may be sudden and severe or become progressively more painful. Whatever be the cause, there are few things as painful as a toothache. The intense pain could result in other physical reactions that could make the suffering even worse. Taking pain killers, if not contraindicated for other medical reasons, and applying a cold compress may help to relieve the pain until you get to the dentist.
• Impact Damage: An impact on the mouth often results in a tooth or even several teeth becoming loose or falling out. If teeth have been jolted loose, care must be taken to prevent them from falling out. This can be done by gently biting down so the teeth cannot move and work themselves even looser. If teeth are knocked out, try to locate them. If found, hold them by the crown, with clean hands, and rinse them off. If possible, place the tooth back in the socket and bite down to hold it in place till you gets to the dentist. If that is not possible, place it in milk or water to keep it moist till you reach the dentist.
• Soft Tissue Injuries: This refers to injuries to the lips, gums, tongue, and inside of the cheeks. Bleeding from this type of injury is often severe. Rinse out the mouth with warm water, and then gently apply pressure on the wound to control bleeding until you reach the dentist.
• Lost Fillings: If a filling comes out, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity to keep it clean until you can get to the dentist to have a new filling put in place. Do not use gum with sugar as this will cause pain.
• Chipped or Broken Teeth: If a tooth or teeth get chipped or broken, the pain can be very bad. Immediately rinse out the mouth, and if there is any soft tissue bleeding, apply gentle pressure to control it. Tooth fragments, if found, should be kept in milk or water and taken to the dentist when going for emergency treatment.

Not all dentists provide emergency care, so your family dentist must be one that does. Having a family dentist that you can go to in emergencies means that your dental records and history are immediately available so no time is wasted in providing you the effective and safe treatment that you need, besides the obvious benefit of knowing where to go when emergency treatment is required. Ideally, your dental care provider should offer preventive dental services, treatment for dental problems, and emergency dental services.