Dental Emergencies can happen, and learning how to respond when one occurs can mean the difference between losing and saving your tooth. In the event that you encounter an urgent dental care emergency, it would help to offer some guidance on what to do.
What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency
For appropriate steps to be taken, you need to know the difference between non-emergency conditions and issues that require immediate dental care. Although these are non-emergency dental problems, you still need to see a dentist as soon as possible. These include:
Dull toothache.
Broken braces or wires.
Objects caught in between teeth.
A lost dental filling, bridge, or crown.
Chipped or broken tooth (unless there’s severe pain).
Several dental issues require you to visit an emergency dentist immediately, including:
Painful swelling.
Severe toothache.
An injured jaw or severe bleeding from an accident.
Partially or fully knocked-out permanent tooth.
Severe tooth infection, causing fever, severe pain, and inflammation.
Steps to Take During a Dental Emergency
You must call your dentist in Corpus Christi, TX immediately once you encounter a dental emergency.
Dislodged Tooth
If you got your tooth knocked out from an accident, visit your dentist at Boss Dental at once. Preserve the dislodged tooth by putting it in milk. Pack the bleeding tooth socket with a cotton ball, tea back, or gauze.
Cracked Tooth
For this, you need to clean the area by rinsing your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress on your face to reduce the swelling. For a chipped tooth, rinse and save the broken pieces, if possible.
Severe Toothache
If you experience severe jaw pain, clean it out by rinsing your mouth with warm water. You may gently use a string of dental floss to remove any food debris trapped between the teeth. Avoid putting aspirin on the aching tooth or surrounding gum tissues.
Severe Tooth Infection
Severe tooth decay can lead to an abscessed tooth. If not treated right away, the infection can damage the teeth and soft tissues. Worse, the bacteria can spread to your lymph nodes and different organs in your body, putting your health at serious risk.
If the problem occurred during normal office hours, your dentist would likely see you. If you need urgent dental care outside of regular office hours, there are other options. These include urgent care centers or emergency rooms for severe oral injuries.
Tips to Prevent a Dental Emergency
Accidents can still happen no matter how careful you are. But that shouldn’t stop you from taking preventive measures. There are several ways to avoid urgent dental care issues. These include wearing a helmet or mouthguard when engaging in contact sports or high-intensity activities. As much as possible, avoid eating hard foods. Ensure that you stick to a healthy, balanced diet and that you stop bad habits, such as chewing on your fingernails or pencils.
Tooth infection and oral injuries can be excruciating. If you experience a dental emergency, Boss Dental Care is here to help. Call our office in Corpus Christi, Texas, at (361) 245-5400 for immediate dental care.
