Having a Dental Emergency?
Unfortunately, dental emergencies are just a part of life. However, the more prepared you are for a dental emergency, the better off you will be.
What constitutes a dental emergency?
Sports-related injuries, accidents, falls, or even biting down on a piece of hard candy, can lead to hurt, chipped, or broken teeth. When you injure a tooth, it can be hard to determine what needs emergency attention and what can wait. A minor chip can usually wait until normal business hours for you to see a dentist.
If you crack a tooth, if a large chunk of it is broken, if you are experiencing pain or nerve damage, or if you lose a permanent tooth, seek medical treatment immediately.
If a tooth is knocked out completely, try to put the tooth back into the socket and hold it in place while on your way to seek out emergency dental care. If this is too painful, store the tooth in a glass of cold milk.
If you are experiencing severe mouth pain or an abscess of any kind, it is important to seek treatment immediately as these may be signs of infection. Infections can be life-threatening if they are not treated quickly.
What should I do during a dental emergency?
During a dental emergency, call us right away. The more details that you can give us about your injury, the more accurately we can treat you. If you have sustained any other injuries during an accident, such as a head injury, we suggest that you visit an emergency room first in order to rule out a concussion or other trauma. Your health and safety are our number one priority, even over the preservation of a tooth.
It is important to let us know about your complete medical history along with any over the counter or prescription medications that you might be taking. Some medications can lead to complications with treatment, such as an injury being slow to clot or heal.
If you hurt, injure, or lose a tooth or experience any other kind of dental trauma or infection, contact us immediately. The sooner you seek medical treatment, the better the chance is of you saving your tooth. If you are still unclear about what constitutes a dental emergency or if you would like to know more, contact us online or give us a call at 614-870-3337.