Emergency Dentistry
Just like medical emergencies, dental accidents should be addressed with utmost importance and with haste. Any delay in the response can lead to loss of teeth and other complications such as gum infections. Dental emergencies are common and occur without any warning and it’s important to know when to seek emergency treatment and when to handle it at home.
What is Emergency Dentistry?
Emergency dentistry is a dental medicine service that addresses injuries to the teeth and gums. The dental emergencies manifest differently and they may cause pain or not. For instance, damage to your dental restorations may not have any pain, but you need to address them immediately.
What Are the Common Dental Emergencies?
Not all dental accidents require emergency treatment. For example, a minor soft tissue injury can cause bleeding. However, if the bleeding is mild, the injury can be treated at home by applying a gauze pad and cold compress to stop swelling. Visit an emergency dentist in Heath if the bleeding doesn’t stop after a few minutes. Below are some of the dental emergencies:
- Knocked-out teeth occur when you have a direct hit to the jawbone. Not all knocked teeth need an extraction, some can be saved and that’s why you need emergency treatment. Don’t try to pull the tooth, carefully hold it by the crown and try to push it back to the socket.
- A toothache could be an indication that something is wrong such as dental decay, infected gums, abscess, and exposed roots. Come see our emergency dentist in Heath, TX if you are in doubt about the cause of pain or have throbbing pain accompanied by bleeding or fever.
- Chipped or cracked teeth can cause tooth sensitivity and lead to infection if not addressed immediately. Seeking emergency treatment can save your tooth from extraction especially if the nerves are unaffected.
- Loss of filling or crown shouldn’t be taken lightly as it could be a sign of a cavity. Furthermore, an absence of crowns can cause tooth sensitivity on the exposed teeth.
What to Do When a Dental Emergency Occurs?
First aid can go a long way in reducing the discomfort and pain. Below are a few tips:
- Rinse your mouth with warm water to ease tooth pain.
- Apply cold compress or packs to stop swelling. Avoid using heat as it can worsen the situation
- Bite a gauze pad to stop the bleeding. Don’t take aspirin because it can make bleeding worse.
- Avoid applying painkillers directly to the gum when you have a toothache. Certain pain medications can cause inflammation.
- Don’t pull the teeth after they are knocked out. Only the dentist can decide if the tooth can be saved or not.
Where to Go After an Emergency Occurs?
Since most dental clinics operate during normal working hours, they may not be ideal in an emergency. You can opt to visit a regular emergency room, but it is beneficial to find a dental clinic with emergency dentistry services. At Arc 32 Family Dentistry, we offer emergency services and you can contact our dentist whether you are in Heath or near Rockwall.
How to Prepare?
The dental emergencies are sudden and unexpected, but if you prepare before you can save your teeth and reduce discomfort. First, speak to your dentist about emergencies and where to go if an accident occurs. Additionally, consider having an emergency fund. Dental insurance can come in handy, but sometimes they may not cover certain emergencies and it’s important to be prepared.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies?
Although preventing emergencies is challenging, you can still reduce the risk and here are a few tips:
- Wear mouthguards especially when playing high-impact sports or if you suffer from bruxism
- Consider the face cages when playing basketball or hockey. These cages can protect the face against trauma
- Helmets come in handy too. Though they may not protect your teeth, they will shield your head against direct injury
Don’t Take Chances!
If you are in doubt about whether the accident is a dental emergency or not, contact our emergency dentist in Heath, TX for assessment and treatment.