Do you have terrible toothaches, oral pain, or loose or broken teeth? If you wait for a little longer, things might get worse. Many people need to see an emergency dentist immediately to save their teeth and avoid future dental issues.
When Should You Visit An Emergency Dentist?
Some dental problems can’t wait until the next day, especially if they hurt too much. Holding off on the treatment could hurt your health and well-being. It could also cause permanent damage or tooth loss.
As soon as you realize you have a dental emergency, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with a dentist. Your specialist will ensure you get the care and attention you need.
1. Trauma And Physical Injuries
You should visit a dentist right away if you have sustained an injury to your gums, jaws, or teeth. You may have teeth that are loose, cracked, chipped, or even missing. This kind of injury can happen in sports while doing things outside or in an accident.
2. Intense Pain And Infection
If you’ve had a toothache for more than two days, you should see an emergency dentist. You could be in a lot of pain because of decay or an infection that needs medicine and treatment. If you don’t get the right care, your symptoms, like a fever or ear pain, could worsen.
What Are The Consequences Of Delaying Emergency Treatment?
If you have a tooth abscess and are in a lot of pain with bleeding gums, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter if you can handle pain well or if you think you can make it another day or two. If the infection isn’t treated quickly, it can spread to other body parts. This can lead to health problems that are serious or even life-threatening!
If you get hurt and have a dental emergency, you could lose your teeth for good. However, if you go to the dentist right away, they may still be able to save a loose or knocked-out tooth.
Putting off emergency care can make it hard to do things like chew your food, eat, and go to work. Some people get so sick from tooth pain and infections that they swell up, get fevers and get headaches.
Tips For Dealing With A Dental Emergency
If you have a dental emergency, use these tips in the first place and then book an appointment with a dentist or rush to the ER:
Retain Your Broken Tooth In Place
This advice is only for adults, not for kids who still have milk teeth. Stay calm and try to hold your tooth in place if you’ve just been hurt or in an accident. You can bite down on a clean towel or piece of paper. Keep your jaw in this position until you can see a dentist.
If you cannot put the tooth back yourself, put it in a clean glass or plastic container. You can keep it moist by putting it in milk or your saliva. Don’t touch the root of the tooth that was knocked out.
Your dentist might still be able to put a tooth back in place later in the day. So, it’s important to ensure it’s healthy and handled correctly.
Use OTC Pain Relievers For Severe Toothache
If the pain in your mouth is so bad that you can’t talk, eat, or even open your mouth, you must go to the emergency department. When you have a toothache, you know something is wrong with your mouth or body, even if the tooth looks healthy and clean.
You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like paracetamol or ibuprofen to temporarily relieve the pain. This method usually works for people waiting until the next business day to see a doctor.
But if the painkillers don’t help and the pain worsens, it’s time to call your dentist. This could be a sign of tooth decay or a serious infection.
Put A Cold Compress
Do you have a swollen jaw or sore gums? A cold compress can help ease your symptoms if you can’t get medicine immediately. Take an ice pack or cold compress and gently press it on the sore spot. You could also soak a cloth piece in cold water and press it against your gums and teeth.
Brush And Floss Infected Areas
Infected gums are always a sign of abscesses. They start out as white, yellow, or red sores that look like pimples. As time goes on, they get worse, hurt, and burst, which means you need emergency dental care. If this happens, you should get in contact with a dentist right away.
Some people make the mistake of trying to pop or squeeze the abscess out of their gums. Try not to do this as much as possible. Instead, brush and floss the area. Your mouth can also be washed with warm water and baking soda, which kills bacteria. This will help lessen pain or swelling.
Rinse Your Mouth With Salt Water Or Mouthwash
A tooth with an abscess can make the gums ache, swell up, or even bleed. We suggest you rinse your mouth with warm water and salt (or fresh saltwater) until you can get to the dentist. Salt kills bacteria, temporarily easing your pain and making your infection less serious.
On the other hand, mouth sores are not as dangerous as tooth abscesses, but they can still hurt and bother you. You can take Tylenol and rinse your mouth out with hydrogen peroxide. This makes mouth sores less painful and kills germs in your mouth.
Stop Your Oral Cavity From Bleeding
Any bleeding in the mouth needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. For example, did you use dental floss to clean your teeth and find blood on them? Most of the time, you may have gum disease or other dental problems that needn’t be fixed immediately. But if you see blood in your saliva, it could mean you have gum disease that is getting worse or a more serious health problem.
If you can’t stop bleeding from your mouth, keep your head raised and have someone by your side to keep you in check. Call a dentist immediately to determine why you’re bleeding from your mouth.
Prevent Your Mouth From Swelling
The swelling of gums is another common dental emergency. This could be the outcome of a serious infection or injury. Unfortunately, most swelling doesn’t go away on its own and needs to be treated immediately by a dentist.
Stand up straight to reduce swelling. This will control the blood flow out of your mouth and help reduce swelling. Make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can. Keep yourself hydrated and drink water.
Conclusion:
Putting off emergency care can make it hard to do things like chew your food, eat, and go to work. Some people get so sick from tooth pain and infections that they swell up, get fevers and get headaches. So get a dental appointment as soon as possible.
