An emergency is in itself a term that alerts you – and when it’s related to your oral health, you have to be extra careful. Let’s discover emergencies related to dental or oral health and how to handle them.
Dental emergencies can occur at any time to anyone – the situation can be difficult when the sufferer is a child. Be it a broken tooth while playing any sport or falling and hurting teeth and gums, timely action is the key to avoiding any complications.
After assessing the dental issue and providing immediate aid, the first thing is to visit your dentist. Any dental accident or emergency should receive immediate attention and care as it involves your mouth, tongue, gums, lips, cheeks, and of course, your smile. Any ignorance or delay can lead to permanent tooth loss.
Notably, not all dental issues are dental emergencies. It varies from one to the other. However, that can be determined only after visiting and consulting your dentist.
What Should You Do in a Dental Emergency?
Since an emergency is an uninformed situation, you can deal with it yourself to some extent before you visit your dentist.
Deal with Pain:
Damaged teeth or restorations generally cause swelling and pain. You can address it with over-the-counter medications. In addition, you can use an ice pack for swollen areas that can help in reducing inflammation and ease discomfort. You can also source gels/ointments from your local pharmacy, which can help to cover sensitive areas for temporary relief.
Preserve the Pieces:
You should preserve the tooth or any pieces when your tooth breaks or restoration is knocked out. Such pieces or teeth can be re-attached in the right conditions. Timely action can reduce the need for extensive procedures to restore the tooth.
Ensure Treatment ASAP:
A toothache is a sign of a fracture or possible tooth decay. Therefore, you should always consult a dentist if you experience a toothache. If left unattended, an infection may spread, and so may the discomfort. Such conditions may lead to permanent damage to the tooth or teeth in the long term.
Let us look at some of the most common dental emergencies.
There are many dental situations whereby you have some time to deal with whilst in many cases, visiting your dentist without delay is the only solution. Here are some of the most common conditions you or your loved ones may face.
Unknown Toothaches:
Dental cavities and gum infections can cause persistent toothaches. Severe pain can indicate gum infection, which is considered a dental emergency. If such pains don’t settle with time, you must visit your dentist.
Broken Braces & Wires:
The metal wires in your braces can irritate and stick out. They can poke your gums, tongue, or cheeks. The situation can be hazardous, so you should visit your dentist immediately.
Lost Filling:
Losing your dental filling is not less than dental trauma. Temporarily you can stick sugar-free gum into your dental cavity to help reduce the pain. However, considering it an emergency, visiting your dentist is a must.
Chipped Teeth:
A broken or chipped tooth can be extremely painful and dangerous. Applying gauze to the affected area can help in reducing blood loss. And while you settle, rush to your dentist immediately to handle the situation.
Gums Bleeding:
Slight bleeding from the gums after floss is considered normal. However, if you experience regular bleeding in your gums, it’s a sign of a dental emergency. It calls for a visit to your dentist, who may find the actual reason for such bleeding.
Losing Dental Crown:
At times, you may lose your dental crown. Book your appointment with the dentist and get it addressed as soon as possible as an immediate measure. As an emergency measure, use an ice pack or clove oil to reduce the pain in the area.
Knocked Tooth:
Often, a knocked-off tooth can be replaced in its socket. Primarily, remove the dirt from the tooth by cleaning it with water and take it to your dentist as soon as you can. You can preserve your knocked-out tooth in milk to enhance its longevity.
Dental Emergency Kit
As a preventive measure, you can create a dental emergency kit that can act as your first-aid kit. The items in the emergency kit can provide relief to an extent, providing you enough time to book your appointment and visit your dentist.
Let us now look at the items you should include while making your dental emergency kit.
- Tweezers
- Gauze
- Local anaesthetic for topical relief
- Pain relievers
- Container to hold a dislodged tooth
- Temporary dental cement
- Dental Floss
- Mouthwash
- Ice pack
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Hand sanitiser
- Bottled water
The items in your dental emergency kit may vary depending on the needs of your family members. For instance, if one of your family members wears dentures, you may not need repair cream in your kit.
Keep all the items in a box and label them, so that you can find it easily. You should store the kit in a dry and safe place that is easily accessible to your family members. For added safety, you can even make a separate kit for your car that can be useful for an emergency on the go.
It is advisable to consult your nearest dentist for any dental emergency. You should also schedule regular dental checkups, preferably every three months, as a good practice.
Book a consultation today with Complete Smiles – providing emergency dental services with complete care. The practice, backed by a highly qualified & patient-focused team of dentists, remains open 7 days a week with flexible opening hours.
For more information, please get in touch today!
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