With your dental health, as well as with your physical health, accidents and sudden aches and pains happen. When trauma to your teeth, gums, jaw or face occur or if sudden, severe or persistent pain is present, you should see your dentist right away. An underlying infection may be present or the damage due to the accident can cause further damage if not promptly treated. Dental emergencies are very common. A dental emergency is one in which the patient’s tooth or teeth are at risk of being lost, there is much bleeding and/or there is severe, inhibiting pain. What are the top 5 dental emergencies dentists see?
Sports, accidents, falls and biting hard objects all have the potential to crack, fracture and break teeth. Broken teeth are the most common dental emergencies. Fortunately, a broken tooth can be easily fixed by a dentist using dental bond. If you brake a tooth, locate the pieces and carefully clean them as well as the tooth. If the tooth was broken due to impact or trauma to the mouth, nose or face, apply a cold compress on the area to reduce the swelling.
If your tooth gets knocked out, it is important to find the tooth and go to the dentist immediately. If you wait too long for a dentist to put your tooth back it, it will die and will need to be replaced by an implant and crown. It is estimated that you have an hour-long window to reinsert your tooth before it is lost and unusable. If you lose a tooth, gently wash it off with cold water and try to reposition it back in your mouth, gently biting down to hold it in place. If you’re not able to place it in your mouth, place the tooth in some milk. Don’t set it in water.
Nobody likes a toothache. The pain is persistent and sometimes it’s so severe it can affect the patient’s chewing and speaking. Toothaches are considered dental emergencies not only because of the inhibiting pain they can cause, but because the pain can be a symptom of infection of the tooth pulp. If left untreated, the patient will continue to be in pain, the tooth can decay and will need to be extracted and the infection can follow the roots and destroy and weaken the bone of the jaw. Before going to the dentist, brush and floss your teeth and take an Aspirin-free pain reliever such as Tylenol.
Braces are a common orthodontic dental alignment treatment commonly found in teens and some adults. Braces have metal wires and brackets that can become lose and brake. A broken metal wire is sharp and can cause injury to the inside of the cheeks, gums and the tongue. The broken part of the braces will need to be promptly removed and replaced by a dentist or orthodontist to prevent further damage and irritation. Before going to the dentist or orthodontist, cushion the edge of the broken piece to avoid additional injury to the mouth.
Sometimes the bonding that fills in cavities can become lose and get dislodged, causing the tooth to become exposed to pressure, air, cold and heat. This exposed part of the tooth will be extremely sensitive so pain is often accompanied when a filling is lost. Similarly, if a tooth is covered by a crown, it becomes sensitive. When a crown comes off, the same sensitivity to air, pressure, heat and cold occurs. To maintain the stability and integrity of the tooth, it is important that you see the dentist as soon as possible. If you find the crown, rinse it off and bring it with you. Dental emergencies are things nobody enjoys. They are painful and can result in lost teeth and more severe dental issues. If you have a dental emergency, contact us at Apple Tree Dental immediately.
