What Is the Most Common Medical Emergency in Dentistry?
5 min read
While chipped tooth, tooth decay, and gum inflammation are considered the most common emergency dental conditions, there is more to the list. Even if you ensure time-to-time visits to the dentist, you never know when you will have to deal with an emergency that could result in long-term damage if left untreated.
Start looking for an “emergency dentist near me” now if you encounter any such situation.
Table of Contents
Top Dental Conditions That Need An Emergency Dentist
For good oral health, you must know what conditions are dental emergencies. Here is the list for your help.
1. Knocked-Out Tooth
In this case, you may need to schedule an appointment with your emergency dental expert immediately. But before that, carefully pick up the knocked-out tooth from the other side without touching its roots. Place the tooth back in the socket, ensuring it’s positioned correctly.
Alternatively, you may put it in a milk container and carry it with you when visiting the dentist. The idea is to keep the tooth moist until you reach the professional. A knocked-out tooth can be positioned back to its position within 30 minutes of the fallout.
2. Mouth Injury Due To An Accident
Individuals aged over ten years develop all their adult teeth. And if they lose any of their adult teeth, it may result in permanent loss. Generally, tooth loss occurs due to an accident or by falling. Your mouth suffers from trauma, and teeth may loosen up, resulting in broken, chipped, or knock-out teeth.
Suppose you experience a fall, contact your emergency dentist without any delay. Explain the entire situation to the professional so the treatment is customized accordingly. Complete oral examination of your mouth is mandatory to ensure there are no injuries in your jawbone.
3. Oral Infection
Mouth infections are one of the most serious oral conditions and, unfortunately, the most ignored ones. Unlike the popular myth, they don’t go away without proper treatment. An infection could be due to swelling in the lymph nodes, poor dental hygiene, or any other similar reason. If you develop symptoms of dental infection, contact your dentist right away.
4. Pain, Discomfort, or Swelling in the Tooth
Dental discomfort or pain can be categorized as a dental emergency depending on the intensity and severity of the oral condition. For example, if you experience pain on taking a bite, it could be due to a cracked tooth or teeth grinding. Besides, an abscess also causes intense pain and swelling in the mouth.
To minimize pain, you may take over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol. In case of intense or unbearable pain, contact a dental expert who can provide emergency treatment. If it’s a cracked tooth, avoid taking a bite or chewing until you visit a dentist.
5. Mouth Sores
There are different types of mouth sores, and not all of them are classified as dental emergencies. Generally, sores in the mouth are a sign of oral disease or bad gums. However, they aren’t life-threatening conditions but result in intense pain. If you experience pain from mouth sores, you may take Tylenol.
In addition, you may try hydrogen peroxide mouthwash to kill the germs. Over-the-counter remedies work only in mild conditions. You’ll need the help of an emergency dentist if the condition is serious or the treatments mentioned above aren’t working on the sores. If left untreated, the condition may worsen and damage your oral health to a serious extent.
6. Swollen Gums
Swelling is a common dental emergency and not a good sign as well. It may indicate a severe dental infection and requires immediate professional treatment. On experiencing symptoms of swelling, consult your doctor at the earliest. After getting treatment from the dentist, drink enough water to keep your mouth hydrated.
7. Lost Crown or Filling
Fillings and crowns restore the damage that occurred to the teeth previously. They bring the teeth back to optimal function and appearance. Hence, consult a professional as soon as you discover the signs of the damaged crown or lost filling to avoid reinfection or further damage.
You could try temporary solutions such as sticking a sugarless gum into the affected area before reaching out to your dentist. It will save the crown and tooth from further damage. Bring the broken crown in a zip-top bag when visiting the dentist to see if it can be reapplied.
8. Bleeding in Teeth or Gums
Bleeding in the gums or oral cavity should be taken seriously. Usually, blood in dental floss is counted among the early signs of gingivitis or gum disease. It may not be an emergency but ensure your oral examination as soon as possible to prevent serious problems.
However, mouth bleeding or blood in the saliva indicates cancer or a serious gum condition. Also, if persistent bleeding won’t stop even after the specified period post-tooth extraction, consult your emergency dentist immediately.
9. Damaged Orthodontics
Braces include brackets and metal wires. Though they are designed to withstand the wear and tear caused due to eating or chewing, they can stick out or break. And broken metal wires or brackets could poke your gums and cheeks, causing discomfort.
Broken orthodontics reverses or slows down the progress in straightening or aligning teeth. In such conditions, you may cover the broken end using orthodontic wax or a tiny cotton ball as a temporary fix. And then book the earliest appointment with your dentist.
Endnote
Dental emergencies like chipped teeth, toothaches, missing or lost teeth, oral injuries, and damaged dental restorations can happen anytime, anywhere. You should always keep the contact details of your emergency dentist handy so that you can consult them immediately whenever the problem occurs.
It will save you from unnecessary stress and trauma in medical emergencies. Plus, find a teledentistry platform for the times when you can’t reach out to your local dentist during a dental emergency. You can get an appointment with a dental expert within 10 minutes without having to wait for the treatment.
