How Can You Tell if You Have a Dental Emergency?
Have you ever had a dental problem and wondered if it required urgent dental care? This is something many people have struggled with. You don’t want to overreact, but at the same time, you don’t want to downplay a dental problem that may turn out to be a dental emergency. Worry not; in this article, we’ll dive in on dental emergencies and how to tell if you are having one.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is a dental problem that requires urgent dental care. Here’s how to tell if you are having a dental emergency and need to see an emergency dentist near you for urgent dental care:
Toothache
Toothache is the most common symptom of dental problems and emergencies. If you have a toothache, first rinse your mouth with warm water and then use dental to remove any plaque and food particles in your teeth. Apply a cold compress outside your mouth or cheek if your mouth is swollen. If the toothache is still there, take over-the-counter painkillers to help with the pain as you wait for an emergency dentist near you in Chicago to treat you.
Cracked tooth
A cracked tooth is often taken as a cosmetic issue and ignored by many patients. However, we recommend you see a walk-in dentist near you soon as you notice chips and fractures on your tooth to protect the tooth from additional damage and prevent future dental emergencies. If you have a crack, do the following as you wait for emergency dental treatment:
Save and rinse your tooth with warm water. If you are bleeding, apply gauze to the wound for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. If there’s swelling, apply a cold compress on the cheek or mouth to reduce the swelling.
Knocked Out Tooth
Trauma to the mouth may cause dental injuries that may result in tooth loss. If that’s the case, find and retrieve the tooth to take to your dentist for restoration. Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse its roots with water. Don’t scrub the tooth or tissue. If possible, return the tooth to its socket while facing the proper direction. However, if it’s not possible, don’t force it in, but rather place it in a cup of milk to preserve it until you get to a walk-in dentist near you.
Partially Dislodged (Extruded) Tooth
A partially dislodged tooth can be restored if treatment is administered quickly. Apply a cold compress on the dislodged tooth’s cheeks to reduce swelling. If you can’t handle the pain, take an over-the-counter painkiller and visit an emergency dentist near you for treatment.
Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a pimple-like infection that occurs around the gums, tooth root or space between your teeth and gums. A dental abscess is easy to treat when diagnosed early but can cause severe infection, which may result in bone loss and periodontitis if left untreated for an extended period. To avoid possible complications, we recommend letting your dentist treat the abscess.
Damaged or Lost Dental Restoration
Old dental restorations can wear to the point they become damaged or lost. If you have a broken or missing dental filling, stick sugarless gum on the cavity as you wait for your dentist to restore it. If you have a broken dental bridge or crown, avoid using the damaged restorations until your dentist restores them. You can coat the inner surface with over-the-counter dental cement, denture adhesive or toothpaste to hold the restorations in place.
What Is Not a Dental Emergency?
Not all dental problems are considered dental emergencies. That being said, although we still recommend seeing a dentist soon as these dental problems occur, you can choose to wait for regular business hours before seeing a dentist; examples of dental issues that aren’t considered dental emergencies include:
- Small chips or cracks in a tooth
- Mild toothache
- Debris or food particles stuck between your teeth
- Minor soft tissue injury
Conclusion
Dental emergencies are dental problems that, if left untreated, can cause severe dental problems such as infection, tooth loss and bleeding. If you have a dental emergency, it’s essential to seek immediate dental care as some dental problems can become difficult to treat when left to advance to severe stages. Visit Dental Impressions for urgent dental care. We have an experienced emergency dentist trained to handle various kinds of dental problems with ease.