When you find yourself in the middle of a dental emergency, you might be overwhelmed with fear. You also might find yourself overwhelmed with questions. To prepare yourself for the worst, you can familiarize yourself with this dental emergency FAQ. It can help you understand when you need an emergency dentist, and how you should react. Here’s the complete dental emergency FAQ:
The Dental Emergency FAQ:
1. Do you need an emergency dentist for a chipped tooth?
A chipped tooth isn’t as big of an emergency as a broken one, but it’s still important to get it treated. Your chipped tooth may not be painful. However, it can still cause problems. Depending on its size and location, he chip could expose the sensitive areas of your teeth to bacteria. Such exposure could cause the tooth to decay.
To ensure that your chipped tooth isn’t going to lead to decay, you should see a dentist as soon as possible. If you have any important events or big photo shoots coming up, you may also want a dentist to fix the problem sooner rather than later.
2. What’s a common sign of a dental emergency?
A true dental emergency is one that involves intense pain. There also may be swelling and discomfort. If you can’t tolerate the pain, it’s a sure sign that you have a dental emergency. The only way to treat the problem is to get to a dentist. Putting it off any longer could be a great risk to your oral and overall health.
3. Should you come in if something is lodged between your teeth?
Having an object stuck in your teeth is both uncomfortable and unsightly. Before you come in to the dentist, you can try a few things at home. You may be able to dislodge the particle with dental floss. But don’t use a sharp object in an attempt to remove it. You may end up doing damage to your gums or teeth. If floss doesn’t dislodge it, then you should see a dentist soon. Leaving the object in your teeth can cause bacteria to thrive, which could lead to disease or cavities.
4. What can you do when you lose a filling?
Tooth fillings can come loose, and this can be dangerous. You should call your dentist and see him as soon as possible. But there are a few things that can help you out until then. Dental cement can be found at most pharmacies. They close the gap and protect your tooth pulp from damage. If that’s unavailable, sugar-free gum can do the trick. However, be sure to avoid using gum with sugar. And keep in mind that both solutions are only short-term fixes. You need a dentist to replace the filling for optimal protection.
5. How should you handle an adult tooth that was knocked out?
In addition to being painful, a knocked out tooth is also scary. You need to see an emergency dentist immediately. It’s important to try and save your tooth. When you handle it, avoid touching the root. If it’s dirty, you can rinse it off with some milk. If that’s not available, you can use water.
Try placing your tooth back in the socket. If that doesn’t work, you need to store it properly. A glass of milk is the ideal way to store it. If not, a glass of water will do. And if neither is available, keep the tooth tucked in your mouth, between your lip and gum. Avoid swallowing it at all costs. Then, get to the dentist. You shouldn’t even have time to read this dental emergency FAQ before you get help.
6. How do you relieve toothaches?
A toothache can cause extreme pain. It’s important to see a dentist for relief and to solve the problem. For immediate relief, you can take some aspirin. But avoid placing the aspirin on your gums by the affected tooth. And if the pain does not subside for a few days, you need to get to an emergency dentist. For severe pain, you shouldn’t wait at all to see your dentist.
7. What can you do for swelling?
If you have swelling in your mouth, you need help immediately. It’s a sign of infection, and that infection can’t wait. Any swelling in your mouth or on your jaw warrants a trip to the emergency dentist. At all costs, avoid putting heat on the swollen area. That may make things much worse.
If the swelling makes it difficult to breathe or to see, you should call the emergency services. You shouldn’t take any risks.
8. What is an abscess?
An abscess is an infection near the root of your tooth. You may notice it as a dull, inconsistent ache in your mouth. Another sign of an abscess is a swollen area on your gum. It resembles a pimple. A sign of infection, an abscess is a reason to head straight to the emergency dentist.
9. What should you do when you have a dental emergency?
There’s only one thing that matters most when you are facing a dental emergency – contacting your dentist. The more time you waste, the greater your risk. You should contact an emergency dentist for help immediately. Of course, reading this dental emergency FAQ also helps! Stay prepared, and don’t hesitate to call for help.
