A dental emergency is any dental issue that requires quick care. Tooth decay, gum disease, and chipped teeth are some of the most common dental crises. Dental problems are not always life-threatening. If you experience permanent bleeding, pain, or broken facial bones, it is crucial to seek emergency dental care immediately.
Good dental care is vital for maintaining oral health, but knowing how to respond to emergencies can prevent long-term damage. You can avoid long-term harm and restore good dental health with immediate response and accurate first-aid treatment.
Here’s a summary of what to do for some common dental problems.
Severe Toothache
First, carefully wash your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove any stuck food. If your mouth is swollen, use cold wrapping on the outside of your mouth or cheek. Then, take acetaminophen, naproxen, or ibuprofen—over-the-counter painkillers.
Avoid using painkillers like aspirin on your gums or teeth as they may cause gum tissue burn, and consult your dentist immediately.
Knocked-out Tooth
To clean a tooth, locate it, hold it by the crown, and rinse the root with water if it’s dirty. Do not clean it or remove any associated tissue bits. Try to put the tooth back if you can. Verify it’s facing the correct direction.
Please do not force it into the socket. If a tooth cannot be reinserted, hold it in the mouth or store it in a milk container or a cell growth medium like Save-a-Tooth.
Visit your dentist as soon as possible. Dentists can save knocked-out teeth by ensuring they are seen and returned to their sockets within an hour of being knocked out.
Lost or Broken Dental Restoration
Sometimes, old dental restorations can drop out or become displaced. To fix a broken or missing filling, insert a sugarless gum piece into the cavity or use an over-the-counter dental cement. See your dentist immediately.
If you have a damaged dental crown, visit your dentist as soon as possible, and remember to bring the restoration. If possible, reinstall your restoration. To secure the restoration in place, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive before proceeding.
Abscessed Tooth
An abscessed tooth can pose serious and even fatal risks and is considered a dental emergency. An abscess is a pocket of pus that, if left untreated, can spread to the jaw and other body areas.
Symptoms to watch out for:
- Fever
- Tender lymph nodes in the neck,
- Facial swelling,
- Bulging “bump” close to the infected tooth.
If you think you may have an abscess, you should make an emergency dentist appointment instantly. You should use a gentle toothbrush and stay away from hot food and beverages. You should prevent flossing the affected area because it will be too delicate. Before your emergency visit, gently wash your mouth with warm salt water to extract the pus from the surface.
An Abscess can be extremely painful, and you should use sedation dentistry during treatment to manage pain and discomfort.
Broken Orthodontics
Braces are durable — these metal wires and brackets are made to resist regular wear and tear from grinding, eating, and even talking. But even then, they can protrude or shatter and stab your cheeks and gums.
This is not only uncomfortable but may hinder or even reverse teeth-straightening and alignment efforts. When this occurs, you can attempt pushing the cracked wire into a more comfortable position. If this is not feasible, use orthodontic wax, a tiny cotton ball, or a piece of gauze to cover the exposed end. No matter how inconvenient, don’t cut the wire to prevent ingestion.
