What is Emergency Dental Care?
What if the definition of a dental emergency? It is totally based on the situation. You can say that a dental emergency is often caused by an unfortunate accident involving the mouth, or it can be the result of poor oral hygiene causing pain. To be more specific, a chipped, broken, or fractured tooth from an infection or an accident, an abscess or unusual sensitivity can all result in a dental emergency. Let us take a closer look at what can be considered emergency dental care.
What are Some Common Causes of Emergency Dental Care?
- A Chipped, Cracked, or Broken Tooth-You do not have to be a child falling on the playground to knock out a tooth. You can be a high school athlete, an older cyclist or someone in an active service industry. Accidents will happen. An accident is the most common reason for emergency dental care. The suggestion would be to immediately call your dental office. They will either listen and consult immediately, call you back, or give you recommendations in a voicemail. It might be such that nothing can be done right now, but an urgent appointment will be scheduled. The solution might be a root canal, a crown, a dental bridge, or a dental veneer. There will be an applicable solution. The timing of the treatment will be dictated by the pain intensity.
- Toothache Pain- This pain often builds in intensity and will get to the point where it is unbearable. You could have an infection or an abscess. In either case it is a problem you cannot see. If over-the-counter pain medication no longer reduces the discomfort, you can place an ice pack outside the area to reduce the swelling and address some of the pain. If it still needs immediate attention you may end up in the emergency room with a dentist that is on call.
- An Abscess- This is the result of the tip of the root becoming infected. An abscess can become extremely painful, intense, and create other health complications. If your family dentist is not immediately available, you may again find yourself in the emergency room. The solution could be a root canal or even a tooth extraction. An x-ray will help determine the diagnosis.
- Other Oral Injuries- Your mouth naturally has 28 or 32 teeth. You might have issues with your gums, your tongue, the roof of your mouth or your cheeks. Of these issues gum disease is the most common and can often be treated in the short term with a dental appointment scheduled for a permanent solution.
Avoiding Emergency Dental Care
Anyone of any age can purchase and use a dental mouth guard. Contact sports or any kind of physical activity can easily result in dental accidents. Try to avoid them by not taking unnecessary risks. You should also maintain good oral hygiene habits. Brush twice daily and see your dentist every six months for regular dental exams. By doing this you can proactively stay ahead of any emergency dental care because of the lack of good care. It is so much easier and is painless to be proactive versus finding yourself in a reactive position seeking emergency dental care.