What to Do in a Dental Emergency: Tips from Your Local Dentist
A dental emergency can happen when you least expect it. If it does, the very first thing you should do is call your dentist. If they are not available, you should head to the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility in order to get immediate care.
But before you take any action, you should first gauge the situation to see if it is indeed a dental emergency. Generally, if the situation involves uncontrollable or continuous bleeding, severe pain, or injuries to the mouth, teeth or face, then this would constitute a dental emergency. Here are some of the most common dental emergencies that you might encounter, as well as some steps you should take to manage them.
Knocked out Tooth
There are many incidents that can result in a tooth being knocked out. In a large number of cases in Sydney, it has something to do with sports, like a baseball that was not hit in time, or a hockey puck that came out of nowhere.
In any case, one of the important things you should do is to try and stay calm. Locate the tooth that has been knocked out, and rinse it off to get rid of dirt. If possible, put it back into its socket. Otherwise, you should put it in milk to preserve it.
Cracked Tooth
The same steps apply to a cracked or broken tooth. Try to find the piece or pieces of the tooth that has fallen out, clean it with water and keep it in a clean container. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to get rid of foreign objects that might cause an infection. If there is swelling, use a cold compress to bring it down.
Dental Abscess
This is the official term for an infected tooth that has a pocket of pus inside it. There are a few possible reasons why you might develop a dental abscess, including a cavity that was not treated, old dental work that was not revisited, or any injury to the tooth or mouth.
A dental abscess is considered an emergency because it can result in many serious complications if not treated immediately. An emergency dentist might address this problem with a root canal or in worse cases, a tooth extraction.
Severe Toothache
Extreme pain in the teeth that wouldn’t go subside will require emergency care. There are many possible causes of severe toothache so it must be seen by a dentist first before they can recommend the right course of action.
Before going to the dentist though, you can do some simple first-aid procedures first to help relieve the pain and prevent further complications. Start by rinsing your mouth with warm water. This will clean the area by ridding it of foreign objects. Then use a floss to get rid of food particles between your teeth, especially around the painful area.
See an Emergency Dentist Right Away
If you are in Sydney and have a dental emergency, don’t waste any time. Call Marsfield Dental Care and make an appointment right away. Our emergency dentists are always ready to attend to any of your urgent dental care needs.
