How To Deal With Emergency Dentistry

Dental emergencies can often be unexpected. In most cases, it can be potentially life-threatening and excruciating. And when you have a dental emergency, it's important to see your dentist immediately, as soon as possible. 

What is Emergency Dentistry? 

Emergency dentistry is a branch of dentistry that deals with dental or oral-related emergencies like accidents that need immediate medical attention—something which is potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent tooth damage and expensive treatments.

A dentist specialized in emergency dentistry is known as an emergency dentist.

Common Dental Emergencies

Here are some of the most common types of dental emergencies:

• Toothache -  Can be treated by extracting the teeth or by root canal therapy.
• Chipped, cracked, or fractured teeth- Caused by accidental injury or trauma,  sometimes causing discomfort and pain. It is restored with a filling or crown and root canal therapy.
• Avulsed teeth- Caused by trauma. If the entire tooth, including the root, is out of the socket,  it should be manually replaced into the socket and see a dentist immediately.
• Severe infections - The infections that are of dental origin, but the swelling occurs in the neck,  head, and face. It's treated with antibiotics. 
• Other dental emergencies - loose tooth, swelling, bleeding that won't stop, an injury to the jaw, and knocked out teeth are also dental emergencies.

If you have any of the above dental emergencies, you need immediate treatment. 

Things to do During a Dental Emergency 

Since dental emergencies can happen without any prior warnings, you should know how to handle the situation. This can help in reducing the severity of the issue.

• If your tooth is loose or out of alignment, try to put the tooth back to its original position through light force. And try to force down. Also, seek emergency medical attention. 
• For toothache, rinse the tooth with warm water, and use dental floss to remove food debris.
• When objects are stuck in the mouth, try to remove them through flossing instead of using sharp instruments. 
• If you have a broken jaw, you usually feel pain, facial swelling, and bleeding from the mouth. To control the swelling, apply a cold compressor and stabilize the jaw by using a cloth.
• If you have a bitten lip or tongue, clean the area gently with a cloth and apply a cold compressor to stop the bleeding and reduce swelling.
• If a tooth is knocked out, pick the tooth up by the top of the tooth. Rinse the tooth well and ensure that it is clean and if you can gently place the tooth into the socket, try to bite down. Also, seek urgent medical attention.

"Prevention is always better than cure." If you have any dental problems, do not wait for the last moment, as in the worst case, you can lose your teeth.