Four Types of Dental Emergencies and How to Handle Them

Dental emergencies are as important as medical ones. If not addressed on time, a dental trauma may cause damage not only to your oral but also overall health. It is crucial to seek immediate dental treatment whenever an accident occurs. This increases your chance of saving your teeth and preserving your dental structure.

As much as seeking emergency dental care is essential, what you do after an accident occurs will preserve and prevent teeth loss. It all starts by knowing which is urgent dental care and which can be treated at home.

What are the Types of Urgent Dental Accidents?

A dental emergency is any bruising that affects the teeth, soft tissues, and gums. Some of the injuries need immediate treatment, but others can be handled with home remedies.

Toothache is one of the indicators that you need urgent treatment. Most dental accidents cause some degree of pain, some more severe than others. However, it is worth noting that several dental traumas don’t cause discomfort, such as broken braces, but they should be handled with the same attention.

Any damage to the tooth should be treated as quickly as possible. Fractures or cracks can damage the tissue inside the tooth. This can cause problems in the future. In this case, only the treatment done by the dentist can prevent the growth of the damage.

The types of urgent dental accidents include:

1. Knocked-out teeth:

Did you know about five million teeth are knocked out every year? This occurs mostly when the teeth are exposed to severe impact. People who engage in high-impact contact sports such as rugby and kickboxing are at risk of avulsed teeth. The teeth can get partially or fully knocked out. However, regardless of the severity, you should seek dental treatment immediately.

As you wait for treatment, a little first aid will go a long way in preserving your teeth.

• Rinse the mouth to get rid of any dirt
• If the teeth are partially knocked-out, pick them by the crown (do not touch the root) and try to push them back to the socket. If completely dislodged, take the teeth and put in milk to preserve it. In the case of primary teeth, please do not attempt to put the teeth back because they may damage the jaw.
• Bit a gauze pad to control the bleeding
• Do not pull the teeth; only the dentist can decide if the teeth can be extracted or not

Lastly, make sure you visit our dental clinic within 30 to 45 minutes after the accident occurs. It is easy for the dentist to replant the teeth.

2. Abscessed Teeth:

An abscess occurs when bacteria affect the soft tissue, and it needs emergency dental care. If left unattended, the abscess can spread to the surrounding tissue causing the teeth to weaken. Not only that, but the bacterial infection can enter the bloodstream, causing widespread inflammation.
You can ease the discomfort using mildly warm salty water as you wait for dental treatment.

3. Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissues are found in the tongue, cheek, lips, and palate. When these tissues are bruised, they can cause bleeding or, worse, still lead to infection. Seek treatment immediately if the bleeding has lasted for a few hours. In the meantime, you can control the bleeding with a gauze pad or tea bag.

4. Tooth Aches

Toothache can be mild or severe. For severe cases, you should not only relieve pain using medication but also visit our dentist in Ontario.

What are the Non-Urgent Emergencies?

Some non-urgent dental emergencies do not require urgent dental care. For instance, lost crowns, bridges or veneers, broken or lost fillings, minor chipped teeth with no pain, and lost orthodontic wires. These dental problems can be handled at home as you wait for your next dental appointment.

Schedule an Appointment

Dental emergencies can wreak havoc if not addressed on time. Visit Dr. Patel Dentistry when you have an unexpected dental trauma. Our emergency dentist in Ajax, Ontario, will assess your dental problem and recommend a suitable treatment.