Emergencies are no fun. You need to think fast. A person’s condition may worsen or lead to imminent death. In these scenarios, you have to be alert, awake, and oriented to decide and know what to do. This may involve doing certain maneuvers or sending the person to the emergency room.
This may also be the case for dental emergencies. These painful experiences involve the teeth and gums. They can be sensitive when feeling pain. Close to 2 million people in the US visit the ER for dental emergencies. They need urgent dental care. They need someone to help them with their dental problems immediately.
What is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is a condition in your oral cavity that needs urgent care. Various factors may cause a dental emergency.
Some emergencies, like trauma, can be life-threatening, but others are not. Still, you have to visit an emergency dentist. You do not want any dental complications to worsen your situation.
In these situations, we provide emergency dental care to resolve the condition immediately. But, even before seeing an emergency dentist, you can care for yourself. But, the dentist must tell you first.
What are Common Dental Emergencies?
1. Severe toothache
Toothaches are one of the most common dental emergencies in the country. More than 40% of adults experience toothaches. Bad habits and underlying dental disorders may cause this.
It usually manifests as a sharp, throbbing, or dull pain. Several homemade interventions can reduce the pain. These include putting a cold compress near the aching teeth. You can also do the classic saltwater rinse, clove oil, and pain relievers like NSAIDs or Tylenol.
Yet relief may not come in days or weeks. In that case, it’s a sign of a condition. You should consult an emergency dentist to plan the treatment for your toothache. This may involve removing aching teeth or replacing crowns or root canals. It depends on how the dentist addresses your toothache.
2. Dental abscess
A dental abscess contains balls of pus surrounding the teeth. A bacterial infection may cause pain for the patient. The bacteria form around pieces of plaque made from food particles and saliva. Cavities or gum diseases can cause abscessed teeth.
Before seeking urgent dental care, the emergency dentist can prescribe pain relievers. You can ingest them. But, it would be best if you didn’t handle dental abscesses alone. If you are in Wisconsin, a Kenosha emergency dentist may solve your problem.
3. Dental avulsion
Dental avulsion, also called knocked-out teeth, removes the tooth from the socket.
Fights and other contact sports cause direct blows. Injuries or accidents, like falls, cause blunt force trauma. Both may cause this. Children are more prone to this. They have baby teeth, unlike adults. But, both need emergency dental care.
Before going to an emergency dentist, follow a step-by-step procedure. It will keep your avulsed teeth safe for reconnection. This includes rinsing and cleaning the tooth with water to avoid stains. Put it in the space where it is no longer there. Hold it with your fingertips. You can also keep it intact with milk or water.
This is a complete tooth removal. You should see an emergency dentist within 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will prevent issues like infections and pain.
4. Loose dental fillings
Dental fillings are a mix of metal alloys and other materials. They restore broken teeth. These fillings seal off the space left by the decay in the crown and protect the teeth from bacteria.
Loose fillings start by making cracks or margins in the filling. Then, they cause a sharp, stabbing, or throbbing pain when chewing. Teeth also become more sensitive to food and/or drinks. They sense tons of pain from only a tiny amount. Unhealthy food causes these. An unhealthy lifestyle, like smoking, can also cause them.
If you have a perceived loose filling, avoid chewing on the area where the filling is usually secured. Also, avoid eating hard-to-chew foods, which can stress out the teeth. Before seeing a dentist, you can also apply a cold compress or take a pain reliever.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies?
You can visit the top Kenosha urgent dental care provider if you are in Kenosha. Good oral care is still the best way way to prevent dental emergencies, such as the following:
- Frequent dental checkups and visits
- Regular brushing of teeth after meals
- Regular flossing of teeth to remove food particles after eating
- Reduce eating sugary foods and beverages
- Quitting vices
No Need to Worry
Pat Crawford DDS is the go-to for urgent dental care services in Kenosha. Our team is full of people committed to giving you the best. We have a quick rate of dealing with dental emergencies. We assure you: we treat any emergency. These include knocked-out teeth, gum disease, or severe toothache. Call us at (262) 694-5191 or send us a message here.
