Dental emergencies aren’t always serious, but when they are they can be very dangerous. A displaced tooth or an abscessed tooth, for example, require immediate attention and can be life-threatening if not treated right away at Emergency Dentist.
While some issues are more urgent than others, knowing what is and isn’t an emergency can help you decide if you need to go to the dentist or not.
Bleeding
Bleeding is a common dental emergency, and is usually caused by an injury or dental issue. It can be easily treated by applying pressure with a sterile strip of gauze to the affected area. Keep the gauze in place until the bleeding stops or you can reach our office for care.
Other oral emergencies that require immediate attention include swelling in the mouth, or pain that doesn’t go away. These may be the result of a severe infection or an injury that could spread to other parts of your body.
Gums that are bleeding, red, or have swelling or bumps around them, as well as a swollen face can also indicate a severe dental infection. If left untreated, these problems can cause serious medical complications.
Swelling
Swelling of the mouth, face, or jaw can be caused by a number of things such as injuries, medications, food allergies, or a serious bacterial infection called a tooth abscess. These can be uncomfortable and make breathing and swallowing difficult.
If the swelling doesn’t go down in a day or two, call us to schedule an emergency appointment. We’ll try to find out what’s causing the swelling and prescribe medication for pain relief.
Bleeding after dental work- Using sterile gauze, apply pressure to the site until it stops bleeding. If the bleeding isn’t stopping, you may need to see a dentist or urgent care clinic.
Tooth Abscess- Symptoms of an abscess include white or yellow pus, swelling and pain in the tooth and surrounding gum tissue. An abscess should be treated immediately, as it could result in permanent damage and infection if left untreated.
To minimize the chance of an emergency dental situation, follow a proper oral hygiene routine and schedule regular dental exams. This will help prevent many common problems and dental emergencies from developing.
Knocked Out Tooth
If you knock out an adult tooth, it’s important to get it back into the socket as soon as possible. This is called replanting and can be done by a dentist.
The best chance for survival is if the tooth is put back into its socket within 30 minutes of being knocked out. After that, the chances of success decrease significantly, according to a Cochrane Review.
In most cases, the best treatment is to replant the tooth into the socket using pressure or by placing it in milk and bringing it to your pediatric dentist or emergency room (that has dental services).
This procedure may need to be repeated for several days, depending on the type of injury. If the trauma has caused significant damage to other teeth or other parts of the mouth, the tooth could need to be replaced with a bridge or implant.
Broken Tooth
A broken tooth can be a painful and scary experience. A broken tooth cannot heal on its own, but a dentist can help fix the problem as soon as possible.
A crack in a tooth can range from a small one that only appears above the gum line to a deep break that runs from the biting surface of the tooth down into the root and beyond into the pulp chamber, which contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. Symptoms of a cracked tooth can include pain, sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks, and swelling.
If the pain and sensitivity are bad, you should take an over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation and ice the broken area on your cheek or lips until you can get to your Peoria family dentist. You can also cover jagged edges of your broken teeth with dental wax to protect the inside of your mouth and tongue from irritation until you can see your dentist.
