A dental emergency should be dealt with immediately as it’s often the difference between losing or saving your tooth. Unfortunately, accidents so rarely occur at convenient times – like during normal business hours. Depending on the situation, you may need to visit an emergency dentist. It can be difficult to differentiate between emergent and non-emergent dental conditions, especially when you’re unfamiliar with them. So – how do you know when you need an emergency dentist? In obvious cases, your tooth may be completely knocked out or hanging by a thread if it’s still attached. Otherwise, it’ll likely depend on your individual situation.
Cracked Or Broken
Typically, teeth can become cracked or broken in the case of facial injury or trauma. However, in extremely severe cases of bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching), enough pressure may be applied to result in a chip, crack, or break.
If you find yourself in this situation, keep any pieces of your tooth that have fallen off (if you can). Contact your dentist as soon as you can as they’ll want to see you immediately. In the meantime, use gauze to control any bleeding and keep ice around your face to reduce any inflammation.
Abscess
An abscess occurs when the root of a tooth becomes infected. You’ll likely feel uncomfortable, experiencing pain in the affected tooth (or teeth). While your tooth is not at risk for immediate loss, an abscess can lead to a series of other complications that could be detrimental to both your oral and overall health. For this reason, you should visit an emergency dentist.
If a facial injury results in soft tissue damage that continuously bleeds, broken orthodontics, or an object that becomes stuck between your teeth – seek emergent dental care. If you’re unable to see the dentist for whatever reason, visit an emergency room as soon as possible!
