What to Do During a Dental Emergency?
Ignoring dental emergencies like injuries to your teeth, gums, and oral infections are never advised by dentists because they are potentially severe and might require care from the dentist near you at the earliest.
When you ignore oral issues, the chances of incurring permanent damage in your mouth increase significantly, resulting in requiring expensive and intensive treatments later.
Dental emergencies do not advertise themselves but happen without warning. For example, an evening of enjoyment on your bicycle might result in an accident to leave you with a knocked-out tooth, making you wonder what you must do next. The best option for you is to visit the emergency dentist in Decatur, GA, with the knocked-out tooth to have it reinserted into its socket, getting to the dentist within 30 minutes.
Severe dental emergencies like a broken jaw need timely treatments from dentists if possible. However, if you cannot find a dentist’s office near you, in the evening or on a weekend, you must get to an emergency room for assistance as soon as possible.
If you have a cracked tooth or a lost filling, you do not need to rush to an emergency dentist’s office. Instead, you can wait until the office of your regular dental care provider opens to have it corrected with them. So long as you ensure the problem is repaired, you prevent additional damage from occurring and needing costly treatments.
Types of Dental Emergencies
There are various types of dental emergencies, and you might want to know what you must do if you confront one of them.
Toothaches
If you experience a toothache, rinse your mouth in warm water and apply a cold compress to your cheeks if you notice swelling. You can take over-the-counter medications to help with mild pain but might need prescription medicines from your dentist if the pain is severe. Excruciating toothaches are discomforting and are better seen by the dentist in Decatur sooner instead of later.
Broken Teeth
Cracked teeth can quickly turn into broken teeth, or an injury might leave you with tooth breakage. If you notice your dental pulp sticking out or crack going up or down your tooth, consider visiting your dentist right away. Visit your dentist even if the tooth is pushed into your gums or has shifted without bleeding or breaking off. The dentist can advise how to manage the situation before reaching their office to fix the tooth.
Loss of Permanent Tooth
If an injury has knocked out a tooth, you require immediate treatment from a dentist within 30 minutes. Please pick up the knocked-out tooth and rinse it without scrubbing the roots. You can try to place the tooth back into its socket, holding it by the Crown. However, if you are not successful, preserve the tooth in a milk container and get to the dentist as soon as possible. Reaching the dentist at the earliest should remain a priority to have your natural tooth reinserted and prevent the need for seeking replacements.
Dental Abscess
If you notice an infection around your tooth root in the space between your gums and teeth, it is a dental abscess. The condition is severe and can potentially spread to other parts of your body if you don’t receive prompt treatment. In addition, a dental abscess can leave you with pain, swelling in the face you are, and sensitivity in the tooth. Besides antibiotics and painkillers, dental abscesses need draining to manage the discomfort and root canal therapy to eliminate the infection.
Dental Emergency Tips
Dental emergencies are pretty standard, and if you have one, you must realize how to manage the situation. You have some time to control the situation, whether you have a cracked tooth or one entirely knocked out. If you confront a dental emergency, here are some tips you can use until you receive treatment from a dental professional.
First of all, avoid panicking by breathing deeply to remain calm. Assess your situation to determine what your problem is. In case of a knocked-out tooth, preserve it carefully and take it with you to the dentist. Finally, call your dentist for an appointment explaining your situation to them or try to visit the dental practice if they provide emergency services on a walk-in appointment.
Tooth Injury Prevention
Dr. Quinton Alexander Cobb recommends adopting preventive measures for tooth injury prevention. Straightforward measures you can adopt are refrain from chewing ice, hard candy, or popcorn kernels because they can crack your teeth, wearing mouthguards if participating in recreational activities and not using your teeth for reasons other than chewing and biting.
Find a Dental Office in Decatur Close to You
Roberts Family Dental — Decatur provides emergency services during dental emergencies. Please do not hesitate to contact this practice if you confront any dental issues affecting your oral cavity.