What Dental Emergencies Are and the Actions You Can Take to Avoid Them

An oral emergency is any dental problem that needs immediate dental care to stop severe pain, bleeding, or any infection, including:

• Trauma involving facial bones, compromising the patient’s airway
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Swelling or knots on the gum

When such disaster strikes, you can visit an emergency dentist in The Colony, TX, to save your tooth and smile. If you are far from Texas, consider going to a certified emergency dental care provider for an oral health evaluation and treatment.

Common Dental Emergencies

• Cracked tooth

It presents a serious issue because, in most cases, the damage has not only happened on the inside but also on the outside as well. Sometimes the fracture may be extreme, that the tooth cannot be saved.

When you notice a cracked tooth, you should:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water
• Keep an icepack on the side of your face to keep it from swelling
• Take a pain-relieving medication as you get to a dental emergency center

Your dentist will use a filling to fix your tooth or carry out a root canal.

• Knocked out tooth

Having your tooth knocked out is a painful experience and very difficult to bear with the discomfort. If you still have the fallen tooth, put it in a glass of milk. Avoid touching the roots or raising them off. The longer the tooth stays out of your mouth, the harder it is to save it. Visit Main Dentistry, a dental clinic in 75056, within thirty minutes of the accident to save your tooth.

• Broken jaw

In case of a broken jaw, you should see your emergency dentist immediately. Take pain medication to ease pain and put ice on your face to avoid swelling. You should also avoid solid food in case of such an emergency.

• Loose or missing temporary dental crown

Whether you lost or you have a loose crown, make an appointment with your dentist as fast as possible. You can put vaseline on the tooth to connect the crown for a temporary fix.

• Consistent toothache

This is a common dental emergency that can be caused by a possible cavity or teeth grinding. If you happen to have a toothache, you can :

• Rinse your mouth out with warm water
• Floss the area to erase food or any particle that may be left to avoid irritation
• Use an icepack to avoid swelling
• Take pain medication if it worsens
• Bleeding gums

Excessive and frequent bleeding along with aching gums requires:

• Treatment based on the severity of your gums issue
• Treatment to keep gums, teeth, tissue, and bones healthy
• Soft tissue injury

This is when you have bites or cuts to your lip or tongue. You should:

• Apply a cold compress for breathing
• Clean the area gently with water
• See an emergency dental practitioner

When you experience any oral emergencies named above, you should contact your emergency dentist. If pain and discomfort persist, you need to visit an emergency dental clinic near you so that they can treat your pain and determine whether another dental visit is necessary.

Precautions to Take To Avoid Dental Emergencies

• Wear a mouthguard when participating in sports
• Avoid cutting thing using your teeth
• Do not chew ice, popcorn kernels, and hard candy
• Go for regular checkups and cleanings

What Does Not Require Dental Emergency Care?

• A broken tooth is an emergency if the fracture has left sharp fragments traumatizing the inside of your mouth or causing severe pain. If the chipped tooth does not hurt, your dental visit can wait.
• A toothache treatment can also wait if the pain is not severe and you do not have an abscess. However, if you notice bumps on the gum, high fever, or swelling, visit your dentist immediately.
• If you have a lost filling or a tooth crown, you can probably wait several days to see the dentist. If your crown falls out, you can try putting it back in place with over-the-counter dental cement or denture adhesive until you see your dentist.

Preparing for Dental Emergencies

First, keep your emergency dentist’s phone number programmed into your cellphone in case you have a dental emergency. This will help speed up things when you need fast treatment and will reduce the stress of an already traumatic experience.