Signs You May Need Urgent Dental Care
When you think you’re experiencing a dental emergency, it’s hard to maintain your composure and stay rational in the moment. Read on to learn more about what constitutes a dental emergency and how you can handle one if the time comes.
Symptoms to Look Out For
1. Injury to Your Tongue, Jaw, or Mouth
It’s important to see a dentist or surgeon as soon as possible if you’ve sustained a serious injury to your tongue, jaw, or mouth. The first step would be to get x-rays to understand the scope of the issue.
2. Bleeding
Bleeding can occur if you’ve knocked out or chipped a tooth, recently had oral surgery, or if you’re suffering from an underlying condition, like tooth decay. A little bleeding may not be cause for concern, but excessive or continuous bleeding is considered an emergency.
3. Swelling
Swelling could be caused by anything from a side effect of a dental procedure to gum disease. It is important to seek treatment from your dentist right away if it’s due to the latter in order to keep your ailments from progressing further. Advanced tooth decay is not only painful and harmful to your oral health, but you may actually lose your teeth because of it.
How to Handle a Dental Emergency
If you find yourself in an emergency situation, the first thing you need to do is not panic! Staying calm and level headed even in a stressful situation can help you make better decisions.
If you’ve knocked out a tooth, reach for a glass of milk. Keeping your tooth in milk can preserve it for up to an hour, so your dentist may be able to put it back in its place!
If you are experiencing swelling, try to ice your cheeks in ten-minute increments to keep the inflammation and pain at bay. You can also try to do a saltwater rinse to curb any bacteria that is causing irritation.
Preventing a Dental Emergency
Keeping your teeth clean and healthy by brushing and flossing twice a day is perhaps the most important way you could prevent a dental emergency. It is also important to visit your dentist twice a year to ensure that your oral health is at its most optimal level. If you do need to schedule a dental procedure, be sure to review all of the possible side effects and follow your dentist’s after care protocol closely.
At Three Creek Dentistry, we understand that emergencies happen and want to help our patients get the best possible care in emergency situations. We are proud to offer emergency dental care at our practice, and are open for extended hours to accommodate your needs. If you are facing an emergency situation, don’t hesitate to give us a call!