We hope we never have to deal with dental emergencies, but emergencies still happen. While many dental issues can be dealt with in the comfort of your home, there are some that are severe enough that you should seek emergency treatment immediately. If any of these conditions occur, call your dentist immediately to set up an appointment or reach out to a dental practice that offers emergency dental care.
Abscesses
To understand what is considered a dental emergency, it is important to know the different types of dental emergencies. A dental abscess is one type of emergency that can develop in your mouth. An abscess is a collection of pus that develops when bacteria enter and start to break down tissue. It can be caused by traumatic injury, infection, or even a tooth extraction gone wrong. If you experience severe pain around your tooth or have difficulty opening your jaw because of swelling, these may be signs that you have an abscessed tooth. A dentist should always be consulted immediately in cases like these, as they will most likely prescribe antibiotics to help with the healing process.
Severe Tooth Pain
If you're experiencing severe tooth pain, it's important to see a dentist right away. This is especially true if the pain is coming from a wisdom tooth or other molar that needs to be removed. Wisdom teeth can often cause pain because they don't have enough room to grow in your mouth and they will come in sideways and start pressing against your other teeth. They may also need to be extracted due to decay, cysts, tumors, or impacted roots.
Broken, Chipped, or Cracked Teeth
A broken, chipped, or cracked tooth is a dental emergency. Broken teeth should be treated as soon as possible because once the pieces of the tooth are separated, it can lead to further pain, infection, and even tooth loss. A chipped or cracked tooth will typically cause pain and sensitivity to hot or cold foods. And if not treated right away, it can lead to more serious consequences like infections and abscesses, which may require root canal therapy or even a complete extraction of the tooth.
Knocked-out Teeth
If a tooth has been knocked out and there is no way to re-implant it, it should be replaced as soon as possible. Immediate replacement prevents the tooth from dying or becoming infected. If possible, the person who knocks the tooth out should try to handle the tooth by its roots with dry hands. The best thing to do if you have knocked out a tooth is to gently put the tooth back in its socket and cover it with your finger or a moistened gauze pad.
Lost Dental Crown or Filling
A lost dental crown or filling is usually considered a dental emergency. If the tooth is exposed, it needs to be treated immediately so that the nerve isn't damaged. If there are any sharp edges on the tooth, they need to be smoothed down with a file. A temporary filling will then be placed in the hole, and if possible, a permanent crown will replace it at a later date.
Have a Dental Emergency?
Aurora Dental is a premier dental clinic located in Aurora, Ohio, that offers dental emergency treatments. For more information or to book an appointment, contact us at 330-562-3400 or request an appointment online.