Emergencies occur when you experience a dental or oral-related problem that requires urgent treatment or intervention. General dentists handle all kinds of dental emergencies, including toothaches, tooth fractures or breakages, dislodged teeth, fallen teeth, or stuck objects in the teeth. Since dental emergencies occur when they are least expected, emergency dentists are available around the clock to handle emergencies as they happen.
If you are in pain and experiencing bleeding, swelling, or fever, it could be time to seek dental emergency services. Remember that all dental problems are severe, although some are more severe than others. Some emergencies result in life-changing consequences, and some are life-threatening. If you are unsure of the kind of dental emergency you have, talk to a skilled dentist right away. But before visiting the dentist’s office, it helps to know what to do to save the situation as you wait for treatment. Talk to a competent emergency dentist for guidance and advice.
Here are some of the dos and don'ts when a dental emergency occurs:
What To Do When You Have An Aching Tooth
A toothache is a sure sign that something is wrong with your teeth, gums, or jawbone. Although it is not potentially a dental emergency, an excruciating toothache requires urgent treatment and care. An aching tooth happens for several reasons, including tooth decay, gum disease, and accidents. The pain could start mildly and worsen with time. Instead of managing the pain at home, it is advisable to seek treatment immediately to solve the underlying issue that is causing the pain.
Tooth damage due to a cavity starts slowly and escalates if left untreated. The tooth begins aching once an infection spreads to its underlying tissues, necessitating urgent treatment. If you are in an accident, one or several of your teeth could ache if fractured or damaged. Urgent treatment is needed to save the tooth and alleviate pain.
Thus, the cause of your toothache will determine whether or not you require dental emergency services. If your tooth fractures in a car accident or while playing sports, you must visit an emergency dentist immediately. You need urgent treatment if your toothache is excruciating and does not go away with pain medication. Once you visit an emergency dentist, they will alleviate your pain and determine the cause and appropriate treatment. The dentist's primary goal is to save your natural teeth, so they will first recommend treatments to save your tooth.
First, you must carefully clean your teeth, including the painful ones. Brush and floss gently to remove stuck food particles that could contribute to the pain. Rinse the mouth with warm water. You could take over-the-counter medication for the pain but do not stick any medicines in the painful tooth. If swelling accompanies the pain in the face, an ice pack can help relieve the swelling. Ensure you visit your dentist within 30 minutes of an excruciating toothache to stop the pain or swelling and save your natural tooth.
What To Do After a Tooth Trauma
Trauma can lead to cracked, chipped, or knocked-out teeth. These emergencies require urgent treatment to save the affected tooth or teeth, alleviate pain, manage bleeding, and prevent more severe conditions like cavities and gum disease.
If your tooth or your child’s tooth is knocked out, do not try to put it back in position. You can only gently apply pressure to the injury if it is bleeding as you prepare to visit an emergency dentist. If the tooth is completely knocked out, find it. Do not try to clean it. Since the tooth should remain moist, you can keep it in the mouth and cheek. Alternatively, you can place it in a holder with saliva or milk. Visit an emergency dentist within thirty minutes of the trauma, as that improves the chances of your dentist saving the tooth.
Broken or chipped teeth should not be ignored, even minor ones. A minor breakage on the tooth can worsen very quickly, making it impossible for the dentist to save the tooth. Additionally, it could result in an infection that affects your general health. Thus, if your tooth breaks or chips in an accident, contact your dentist immediately. You could rinse the mouth with warm, salty water if bleeding occurs. If one side of your face is swollen, you can use a cold pack to reduce the swelling and manage the pain. Also, locate any piece of the tooth that could have broken off and bring it to the dentist’s office.
What To Do if You Bite or Cut Your Tongue
The tissues in the mouth are rich in blood vessels, which is why you bleed so much when you injure any part of your mouth, especially the tongue. Thus, you will likely see so much blood when you cut or bite your tongue, which could cause you to panic. The first thing you must do is remain calm so that you can take the necessary precautions before seeing an emergency dentist. Even a minor cut on your tongue can bleed profusely.
Start by rinsing the bleeding part and using a clean towel or gauze to control the bleeding. Hold the gauze or towel gently on the injured part until the blood dries or the bleeding reduces. You could hold a cold pack on the injury to reduce or stop swelling. Ensure that anything you use on the injury is clean to prevent an infection. Remember that the mouth has all kinds of bacteria, good and bad. The harmful bacteria quickly thrive once the conditions become conducive, causing an infection that quickly spreads to other parts of the mouth and body.
You could be tempted to care for an injured tongue at home, especially if the injury is minor. However, a dentist will recommend the best treatment so you can eat, speak, and laugh comfortably in no time. Additionally, it could be challenging to tell how severe an injury in the mouth is without a proper examination, which only a dentist can perform. Thus, you must visit a dentist immediately after cutting or biting your tongue, lip, or cheek. If the bleeding does not stop or you experience excruciating pain, contact your dentist immediately. Also, contact a dentist if the injury is extensive or deep.
If you do not seek treatment immediately after the cut or bite and notice some signs of an infection, you must seek treatment immediately. Indications of infection include pain, fever, pus, and a painful or tender wound.
What To Do If Your Tooth Is Dislodged
A dislodged or loose tooth is a significant cause for concern if it is painful, bleeding, or you are worried about losing it. Thus, you need immediate treatment or intervention to alleviate your pain, stop the bleeding and swelling, and save the tooth. Emergency dentists handle all kinds of dislodged teeth. Thus, seeking immediate help ensures that the dentist examines the tooth and recommends the most viable treatment before the problem worsens.
One or a few teeth can dislodge after a car accident, a fall, or an injury while playing sports. A significant impact or force can partially remove a strong and healthy tooth from its socket. Fortunately, an emergency dentist can save a dislodged tooth, even when its blood cells and nerves are impacted. Treatment could be painful, and you will not use the affected part of your mouth for some time, but treatment is possible.
However, the success of your treatment will depend on what you do or do not do after the accident. You could gently push the dislodged tooth into position using your tongue. If this does not work, look for something to bite on to prevent the tooth from shifting further out of position. In the meantime, you should be preparing to see an emergency dentist.
Once at the dentist’s office, they will administer anesthesia to alleviate your pain and discomfort as they examine and treat the tooth. The dentist will disinfect the treatment site first to prevent infection before repositioning the dislodged tooth. If the impact of trauma that affected your tooth was severe, you could need an X-ray examination to check for any damaged vessels and nerves.
What to Do With Stuck Objects
Stuck objects between the teeth or on the gums can be very painful or result in bleeding or swelling. In this case, you need immediate treatment to remove the stuck object and manage any damage to the tooth or gums. An emergency dentist is the ideal person to see in that situation.
Do not try to eat or physically remove the stuck object, as that could aggravate the situation. If the stuck object is sharp or you cannot remove it using a toothpick or dental floss, it is safe to let a dentist handle it. If the object is causing your tooth or gum to bleed, do not attempt to yank it out or push it deeper.
Emergency dentists use specialized tools to remove stuck objects in dental emergencies. They will first examine the damage to your teeth and gums and the type of object to determine the right approach to remove and treat the damage. The dentist will also examine the affected region for indications of infection and take necessary precautions after treatment to prevent an infection. Typically, allowing a professional to remove a stuck object from your teeth or gums is safer than handling it at home. Thus, you need to visit a dentist’s office immediately.
What to Do With Broken or Damaged Orthodontic Treatments
Orthodontic treatments straighten your misaligned, crooked, or overly spaced teeth. They work over a long period, meaning you will continue to eat, speak, chew, and bite with your teeth, even with orthodontics. Over time, they weaken and can break or become damaged, necessitating repair or replacement.
Broken or damaged braces or aligners must be treated as an emergency because the damage can affect your treatment, making it difficult to achieve the desired results after the treatment period. Additionally, damage or breakage can affect your teeth or gums, resulting in additional problems that require treatment. Orthodontists recommend seeking immediate treatment immediately after you notice a problem with your aligners or braces. This way, a dentist can examine your teeth or gums for any damage and have your orthodontics repaired or replaced immediately.
However, you must not continue using your teeth to chew or bite once you notice a breakage or damage to your aligners or braces. Continuing to use them causes the problem to escalate and can affect your teeth. The damage can also harm your gums or tongue, necessitating additional treatment that could cost more money and take some time to heal.
Additionally, do not attempt to fix the damage or breakage at home. Although you could attempt repositioning the wires using a finger or pen, you must see a dentist as soon as possible. Do not remove any loose wires or cut the cord. If the brace’s brackets are loose, quickly fasten them using orthodontic wax while waiting for an emergency dentist.
Before seeing an emergency dentist, clean your mouth as best you can. If it is difficult to brush or floss your teeth, use warm, salty water or a dentist-recommended mouthwash. You could also take over-the-counter medication to manage the pain.
Find a Competent Emergency Dentist Near Me
A dental emergency requires you to calm down first, take the necessary precautions, book an appointment with an emergency dentist, and avoid mistakes that could worsen your situation. Different emergencies require different approaches. Thus, you can call your dentist first if you are trying to figure out what to do and not do in a particular situation.
At Washington Dental, we handle all kinds of dental emergencies. We are always prepared, with the necessary tools and skills, to save the situation, manage your pain and swelling, and save your natural tooth. Call us at 310-217-1507 if you experience a dental emergency in Carson, Los Angeles, Lomita, or Torrance for guidance and assistance. Our highly skilled and experienced emergency dentist will wait to care for your teeth and gums.
