A dental emergency can be incredibly scary. You’re living life the way you usually would, and suddenly you have an injury, severe tooth pain, or a broken or missing tooth.
Knowing what to do in a dental emergency can make a big difference when it comes to getting the outcome you want. When you respond quickly and access the dental care you need right away, you can often heal and recover much more quickly.
Do you know what to do if you need emergency dental care? Here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
There are many situations where you might have tooth pain or concerns about your dental health, but not all of them require emergency care.
Any time you have damage or concerns about your teeth, you’ll want to contact your dentist as soon as you can during business hours. But sometimes you’re facing a dental emergency that needs immediate attention and can’t wait.
Some dental emergencies that need immediate care include:
- A tooth is entirely knocked out
- You have an injury to your mouth
- A tooth abscess is causing significant pain
- A broken jaw
- A cracked tooth
- Significant mouth bleeding that won’t stop
In these cases, you’ll want to get dental help right away to avoid having even more serious health concerns.
Call Your Dentist
If you have an emergency that needs immediate attention, call the dentist right away. During regular business hours, you might be able to schedule an emergency appointment. If the incident happens in the evening or on a weekend, call your dentist’s emergency dental line.
Other issues might be able to wait until your next scheduled appointment. Broken tooth — what to do? Sometimes this can wait, but you’ll want to call your dentist and let them know the specific situation. They’ll be able to give you advice on what steps you can take to repair the damage.
Having an Etobicoke emergency dentist you can reach at any time can give you peace of mind.
How to Save a Dislodged Tooth
If you’ve had a tooth entirely knocked out, what you do next could help you save the tooth so that it can be put back in place. You’ll want to contact the dental emergency clinic right away.
Next, get the tooth and put it in milk to help preserve it. Pack the tooth socket with clean gauze, a cotton ball, or even a tea bag. If the tooth is chipped or broken, rinse them and save the pieces as best you can.
You’ll need dental emergency services quickly so that you can save your tooth and avoid further damage to your teeth and gums.
What to Do for Emergency Dental Pain
If you have severe tooth pain, you’ll want to contact your emergency dentist right away. They can help you understand what’s happening and what may have caused the pain. If you need emergency dental care, they can tell you how to get an immediate appointment.
Sometimes dental pain can come from having food or other particles lodged in your gums or between your teeth. Or, you might have a cavity or other dental problem that needs to be fixed. At times you might be able to make an appointment in the next few days and use over-the-counter pain medicine in the meantime. Other times you’ll need immediate care.
If you have a cracked tooth causing pain, rinse your mouth and clean the area. Use a cold pack to reduce swelling and contact your dentist.
Other Professionals to Call in Medical Emergencies
We are always a phone call away if you have a dental emergency, but sometimes your situation will require other medical care first, or in conjunction with your dental needs.
Please do not overlook your need for emergency care via ambulance or in a hospital emergency room if you’ve had a serious injury, car accident, or need medical help. Your emergency dentist will be ready for you after those life-impacting issues have been resolved.
If you need immediate emergency care, please call 911.
Helping Family Members With Dental Emergencies
Sometimes it’s not you who needs the emergency dental care, it’s someone you love or are caring for. For example, your child might chip or knock out a tooth while playing, or your spouse might be in an accident.
If a child knocks out a baby tooth, keep it moist and contact a dentist. If the tooth was already loose and on its way to falling out anyway, you might not need to bring your child to the dentist for care. However, if there is bleeding or an indication that the tooth might be damaged, your dentist can review the situation.
A baby tooth may not need to be re-implanted even if there is bleeding, and it’s possible that after your dentist checks the tooth loss and gives your child some first aid, you’ll be sent home to recover and let the adult tooth grow in.
If a child loses an adult tooth, however, it’s important to take the same steps you would if an adult lost a tooth. Keep the tooth moist in milk, or try to place it back in the socket without touching the root. Then, get an emergency appointment with the dentist right away. They can let you know if the tooth can be saved or if another type of dental restoration is needed.
Take Action in a Dental Emergency
If you have a dental emergency, you’ll immediately want to search for “dental emergency near me” to find a clinic that can help you. A dental emergency clinic will have experience with a variety of tooth and mouth injuries and can help you get the care you need.
At Dr. Mark Rhody Dentistry, we’re proud to offer emergency dental services that are always just a phone call away. Our clinic uses our skills and techniques to treat mouth injuries, lost teeth, and other medical concerns. We also have options for anxious patients to reduce pain and put them at ease.
If you’re facing an emergency, don’t wait. Contact us for an appointment today!
