Summary:
Although uncertain, oral emergencies can cause a lot of complications!
Such situations often cause a lot of discomfort, pain, and swelling. Stats suggest that an estimated 2 million people visit hospital EDs (Emergency Departments) for urgent dental care.
Sadly, when it comes to it, a majority of individuals have no idea of how to navigate through the situation, resulting in severe health issues. Keeping the same in mind, this blog explores:
- Emergency Dentistry – The Key to Preventive Care
- Tips to Navigate Through Oral Emergencies
- Steps to Follow During Dental Emergency
- The Basics of Preventing a Dental Emergency
Continue reading as we learn more about urgent oral care in the following sections.
Emergency Dentistry – The Key to Preventive Care
Emergency dentistry is a discipline of dentistry that focuses on providing prompt treatment for urgent dental problems. Regular consultations are necessary for preventative care and essential treatments, but emergencies sometimes occur unexpectedly and require immediate attention.
However, not every tooth problem should be deemed an emergency. To help you decide if you can wait until your next dental visit or whether you need to see an emergency endodontist, ask yourself the following questions.
- Do you have extreme pain? Severe pain and blood are indications of an emergency.
- Have you ever lost a tooth? Fast treatment can save a tooth.
- Do you have any loose teeth? While adults should never lose their teeth, loose tooth is a severe condition, even if not painful.
- Have you got an infection? An abscess or major infection in your mouth can be life-threatening; therefore, don’t delay treatment.
- Are you bleeding from your mouth? It might indicate an emergency to rush to your nearest urgent dentistry.
Any dental condition that requires rapid treatment to stop bleeding, save a tooth, or relieve extreme pain is called an emergency. This also applies to severe illnesses, which can be life-threatening.
Tips to Navigate Through Oral Emergencies
Identify Dental Emergency
All dental problems are not dental emergencies. Toothaches may wait; if the pain isn’t severe, you don’t need to see the dentist in the middle of the night. Dental emergencies, such as a knocked-out tooth or bleeding gums, require immediate medical attention. If your face is bloated and painful, it might be an infection or another issue only an emergency dentist in Rockville can treat.
Do Not Panic
While panicking is a normal reaction to any emergency, being cool might help you figure out what’s happening. Instead of stressing out, try inhaling and exhaling softly to calm down. Once you have assessed the situation, you can schedule an appointment with a dental facility that treats dental emergencies.
Use First-Aid Techniques
There’s a risk you won’t be able to visit an emergency dentist immediately. You might perform basic first aid at home to halt the bleeding or relieve the pain. You can preserve a knocked-out tooth in a milk container until you visit the dentist.
Various hot and cold compression techniques can help alleviate pain and edema. Rinsing your mouth with salt and water might help to prevent gum infections and bleeding.
Reduce the Chance of Dental Emergency
Taking precautions and seeing the dentist regularly helps avoid dental emergencies. Dental crises are less likely if patients get their cavities and infections treated or wear mouthguards during sports. Chipped teeth are less likely to occur if you follow the instructions of your dentist in Aubrey, TX, and avoid biting on tough objects.
Steps to Follow During Dental Emergency
Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water:
Mix a teaspoon with warm water and rinse for three minutes. Wait to consume this solution. Instead, use it as required until you feel better. If you cannot use oral care products at night due to discomfort or illness, try placing an ice pack directly on your cheekbones. It will minimize swelling and promote circulation, allowing your face to heal faster!
Release the Braces
If you or your child has braces, check the wires. If a wire snaps or protrudes and scrapes against the inside of your cheek or gum, try pressing it back into a more comfortable position with the eraser end of a pencil. If it doesn’t work, cover the protruding wire with a cotton ball, small piece of gauze, or orthodontic wax (if you have any) and rush to an urgent care in Aubrey, TX.
Note: Do not cut the protruding wire since you (or your child) might quickly ingest or inhale it.
Clean the crowns:
If you lose a crown, clean it, secure it with dental cement (if you have it), and contact your dentist as soon as possible. If your gums rupture, you may feel bleeding, and the shattered crown’s edges might be sharp, causing wounds. Biting a tea bag or gauze pad will effectively reduce and eventually stop the bleeding.
Protect the knocked-out teeth:
In most circumstances, you can preserve a knocked-out tooth by visiting a walk-in dentist nearby as soon as possible. Keep the tooth in its socket while transporting it in milk or saliva. Visiting the urgent care Aubrey within an hour gives you the best chance of preserving your tooth.
Reduce the pain:
Gum disease results in swollen gums that are painful and make eating difficult. Severe pain from an abscessed tooth requires prompt care from a dentist near you. In the interim, use a hot pack to relieve discomfort and swelling.
The Basics of Preventing a Dental Emergency
1. Use a mouthguard
Are you a sports fan? Show your affection for the game without jeopardizing your flawless grin. Avoid rough play that can cause facial and oral injuries and chipping or knocking out teeth. Wear a mouthguard before going out on the court or field to protect yourself from having to meet an emergency oral surgeon.
2. Watch what and how you eat
Human teeth are strong! Yet it’s surprising how easily a tooth may shatter or chip. Hard confectionery and difficult meats are just a reason that typically strong, straight, attractive teeth can break.
The most effective approach to avoid this is to consider before you bite. If you’re thinking of indulging in candy, don’t. It’s not worth the danger of chipping over cavities caused by too much sugar.
3. Don’t chew everything!
Many people have oral fixations, such as biting their nails or chewing on non-food things like pen caps. But did you realize that these unhealthy practices might lead to cracks or chips in your teeth?
You may break these negative behaviors by keeping your hands occupied and eating sugarless gum, diverting mouth fixations while promoting saliva production and clearing microorganisms. Or, ask your care now, Aubrey, TX professionals, for help.
Takeaway
- Analyzing an oral emergency and taking the right step is the difference between visiting a 24-hour dentist or a doctor!
- There are different types of oral crises. However, only some situations require you to visit the ER. Some can be managed at home as well.
- Don’t let the options confuse you! Save Paloma Creek Dental as your go-to emergency dental if you require urgent care services. Visit our experts today!