What Is Considered a True Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is any problem with the teeth and surrounding tissues that requires immediate attention. The dentist will address the issue to alleviate the pain, stop the bleeding and save the tooth. Dental emergencies vary. That is why each requires an individual response and treatment from an emergency dentist in Queen Creek.

Types of Dental Emergencies

1. Dental pain

Pain on the tooth and or surrounding tissues shows that your mouth needs to be examined by a dentist. The pain varies depending on its origin and trigger. You may feel moderate to severe pain, throbbing, spontaneous pain, or mild sharp pain. It may be stimulated by pressure on the tooth or gums.

A toothache does not always indicate a dental emergency. However, small pieces of food stuck between the teeth can cause severe pain. When you experience a toothache, floss and rinse your mouth with warm water to see whether the pain is gone. If it persists or becomes worse, seek emergency dental care.

2. Knocked-out tooth

You may have a tooth knocked out after dental trauma. This is an injury on the soft and hard tissues of the mouth and face. A knocked-out tooth causes pain, bleeding, and discomfort. Immediately call a Queen Creek Dentist to ask for guidance on what to do. Tell them all the symptoms and alert them to prepare for your treatment.

Do not delay since the longer the tooth stays out of your mouth, the more difficult it will be to save it. Retrieve the tooth by the top and put it in a glass of milk to preserve it until you reach the dental office. Do not clean or rinse the tooth as this may interfere with the ligaments, which help in reattaching it.

3. Restorative emergencies

These are issues involving tooth restorations such as fillings, crowns, dentures, or implants. For example, a dental filling may break or get lost, leaving jagged edges that cause sharp pain and discomfort. In addition, a broken dental crown poses the risk of ingesting or inhaling the pieces.

When a denture breaks, you cannot use it anymore. Instead, contact your dentist ASAP so that they can get you a new one or fix the damaged denture. A dental implant becoming loose is a dental emergency since it is likely due to an implant infection. Going to the dentist for urgent dental care prevents the disease from spreading and saves the implant.

4. Broken or cracked tooth

A cracked or broken tooth is not an emergency unless it reaches the gums and tooth roots. It may lead to pain, bleeding, and swelling. Call the emergency dentist in Queen Creek for instructions on what to do. If you can see the broken pieces, carry them when going to the dentist as they can be used to restore your tooth.

5. Acute oral medical and surgical conditions

These are disorders with a short history of symptoms. Yet, they are severe enough to cause significant disruption to the patients. They include orofacial swelling caused by trauma, gum disease, or abscess. Since the causes vary, seek emergency dental care once you notice orofacial swelling.

Cellulitis is another acute dental condition. It features brawny swelling, pain, ad abscess. The disease develops quickly over a few hours. When not addressed immediately by a dentist, it becomes life-threatening.

Severe and prolonged bleeding from the orofacial region also requires urgent dental care. After a dental procedure, you may have an infection or dry socket. These require immediate dental attention. The dry socket is quite painful and causes headaches, dizziness, and insomnia.

Preventing Dental Emergencies

You can avoid most dental emergencies by:

• Wearing a customized mouthguard when participating in sports and recreational activities. This prevents dental trauma.
• Using proper tools to cut packages or open bottles instead of your teeth. It keeps them from cracking or breaking.
• Avoiding chewing popcorn kernels, ice, hard nuts, or candy. They can crack or break a tooth or dental restorations.
• Attending routine dental exams and cleanings where the dentist assesses your mouth for issues that may lead to emergencies.

If you have any dental emergencies discussed above, do not wait for the problem to worsen. Instead, contact us at Alexander Family Dental. Our dental team is extensively experienced in dealing with various dental emergencies. Your dental emergency can be fixed on-site on the same day.