Dental emergencies happen unexpectedly and cause extreme pain and stress, needing immediate action. When an emergency occurs, such as severe pain, uncontrolled bleeding or broken teeth, remain calm. Panicking will only make matters worse!
Applying relief or first aid is critical during the first few minutes. Once stable, take the patient to the dentist for emergency dental care.
This guide will discuss urgent dental care, cover steps to deal with emergencies, and explain how to seek immediate care from a dentist.
What is a Dental Emergency?
Dental Health Services Victoria defines emergency care as any of the following situations:
- Trauma and swelling of the face, which makes it difficult to breathe
- Uncontrollable bleeding from the mouthsore
- Intense oral pain that’s keeping you awake at night
- A mouth sore or ulcer that has not healed for two weeks or more
- Fracture of the tooth or opening of the tooth nerve
- Dental trauma causing tooth or teeth to be knocked out
For these conditions, visit your dentist immediately. Do not delay treatment.
Let us look at the most common dental emergencies.
Severe Toothache
You need immediate dental help for a severe toothache. The intense pain could indicate an infection or an abscess requiring prompt action. To relieve tooth pain in an emergency, apply a cold compress over the area. You may also take pain medications.
Broken or Chipped Teeth
Broken or chipped teeth due to trauma can expose the sensitive inner layers of the tooth and nerves. If left untreated, this can cause pain, swelling, and infection. It’s important to seek emergency care for a broken tooth to avoid complications immediately.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Trauma to the face that’s too intense to knock out teeth is a dental emergency that should be treated immediately. An expert dentist can reimplant intact teeth, so you must act fast. When this happens, make extra effort to preserve the tooth by placing it inside a clean container or wrapping it in tissue paper.
Lost Fillings or Crowns
Just like chipped teeth, missing crowns can expose the delicate layers of the teeth, making them vulnerable to infection. To avoid pain and other complications, visit the dentist ASAP to replace lost fillings or crowns.
What Do You Do in a Dental Emergency?
What to do in a dental emergency? Keep calm, assess the situation and apply the following first-aid steps:
Control the Pain
Pain is intense and inevitable in all dental emergencies. You can manage pain while waiting for emergency care by:
- Taking over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen or aspirin.
- Apply a cold compress – wrap ice in a towel and apply it over your cheek.
- Apply topical gels – these products offer temporary pain relief to the skin.
- To rinse your mouth with salt water, place two to three teaspoons of salt in a glass of lukewarm water. Gargle the solution for ten seconds and spit it out.
- Take a rest by lying down with your head elevated.
Preserve the Tooth
If a tooth is knocked out, place it or the broken pieces in a clean container or a tooth preservation kit for reattachment. You may also put it in a small container with milk to preserve it until it’s time to reattach it.
Stop Bleeding
Bleeding is a sign you need dental trauma and urgent care. Use a small piece of clean gauze or cloth over the bleeding area. Apply moderate pressure over the gauze to control the bleeding. You may bite the gauze to apply constant pressure and replace it when it becomes soiled.
When to Seek Emergency Dental Care?
You need immediate dental care if you have the following:
Signs You Need Immediate Help
When dental emergencies arise, do not ignore certain symptoms. Delaying immediate care can lead to complications and more costly treatments. Here are the signs that you need care right away:
- Severe pain in a tooth or surrounding it that won’t subside even with medications
- Any visible damage to teeth, including chips, cracks or breaks
- Swelling of the gums, jaw or face
- Continuous bleeding
- Presence of fever, pus or a foul taste in the mouth
Don’t Delay Treatment
Do not delay or avoid treatments. Emergency dental issues can lead to infections, worsen pain and can even cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums. Addressing emergency issues early preserves your oral health and saves you time and money for more complicated treatments in the future.
What are Common Dental Emergency Treatments?
Emergency dental treatments depend on your condition. Your dentist can apply any of the following:
Temporary Pain Relief
Your dentist will provide temporary pain relief solutions to manage discomfort and prevent further damage until you are ready for a full dental procedure. They may apply dental cement, a temporary fix to cover exposed nerves or teeth layers. They may also prescribe strong pain medications and antibiotics to control or prevent infections.
Repairing or Replacing Damaged Teeth
For broken or missing teeth, your dentist will provide treatment depending on the severity of the damage.
- Fillings to repair cracks or chips
- Crowns to cover the broken tooth
- Bridges to fill gaps of missing teeth or teeth
- Dental implants to replace missing teeth and remove gaps
- Veneers to cover chipped teeth
These treatments can help restore the appearance and function of your teeth.
Why is Preventive Dental Care Important?
National Dental Care describes preventive dentistry as examining, cleaning, and caring for teeth to prevent oral health conditions. Preventive dentistry can help identify issues early to avoid dental emergencies later on.
How Regular Checkups Can Prevent Emergencies
Regular dental checks allow your dentist to assess your oral health and find early issues such as tooth decay or gum disease. Addressing these early and quickly helps avoid pain and other complications, which often result in dental emergencies.
Emergency Dental Kits
An emergency dental kit at home can help you manage minor issues until you can visit your dentist. Include these items in your dental kit:
- Sterile gauze – use these to control bleeding and cover any injured area.
- Cotton swabs – use swabs to apply ointments or to clean injured areas.
- Medications – OTC medications for pain and swelling, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol
- Topical gels or creams – apply on the skin to ease the pain.
- Tooth preservation kit – This is a small container to store knocked-out teeth and preserve them until reattachment.
- Dental wax – this covers the sharp edges of teeth.
- Dental cement provides a temporary fix to reattach loose fillings or crowns.
- Small mirror, disposable gloves and tissues
How Aesthetic Dental Clinic Can Help in a Dental Emergency
If you live in Sydney or nearby suburbs and are searching for an emergency dentist near me, you will get Aesthetic Dental Clinic at the top of your search results. How can we help you with your dental emergency?
Immediate, Same-Day Care
Aesthetic Dental Clinic offers same-day emergency appointments for patients with urgent dental problems. We guarantee prompt relief and treatment, avoiding dental complications and costly treatments.
Comprehensive Dental Services
We are experts in all dental emergencies, from toothaches to traumatic injuries. You can count on our fast, effective care for these emergencies:
- Knocked-out tooth
- Severe toothaches
- Swelling and abscess
- Fractures, chips and cracks
- Severe bleeding
- Dental injuries and pain
We have state-of-the-art equipment and advanced dental techniques to fix dental emergencies and handle complex issues. Our team has extensive knowledge and is ready to assist you.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Dental emergencies can happen at any time. While waiting for professional care, keeping the patient safe and treating minor issues is important.
Every home should have a dental emergency kit, and knowing how to handle minor emergencies can greatly help avert complications.
Contact Aesthetic Dental Clinic in Camden for emergency dental care. We also offer therapeutic dentistry procedures to help restore teeth’s function, enhancing smiles and self-esteem.
