Emergency 101: Everything You Need to Know

Like we have medical emergencies, we have dental ones that need as much attention because they can be life-threatening if not handled immediately. Dental accidents affect both adults and children alike. Knowing what qualifies as a and what to do when they occur is crucial. In this post, we talk about urgent and non-urgent emergencies and how to handle them.

What are Dental Emergencies?

An oral emergency affects the gums, teeth, and soft tissues, causing swelling, pain, and bleeding. Broken dental restorations are sometimes a dental emergency, especially if there are protruding wires. Sometimes, dental bridges can break and expose the teeth underneath, causing sensitivity.

When Should You Visit the Dentist?

Urgent dental emergencies are anything that causes severe bleeding or pain. Some of the common dental accidents include:

• Knocked teeth

The teeth are strong and can last for a lifetime. However, if your teeth get into direct contact with an object, they may get partially or completely knocked out. It is a common assumption if the teeth get dislodged, they need to be extracted. But, the dentist can save the teeth if treatment is started on time.

Also, do not try to pull the teeth; only the dentist can decide if they need extracting.

• Soft tissue injuries

Soft tissues found in the mouth, tongue, lips, and cheeks can get lacerations leading to bleeding. Furthermore, they may also develop bacterial infections that can affect the gums and teeth.

• Dental Abscess

Tooth abscess causes pus to accumulate in between the gums and teeth. The pus is caused by tooth decay and bacterial infection. A dental abscess is a life-threatening infection that can cause the surrounding tissues to get affected. In worse situations, the infection can get to the bloodstream and cause widespread inflammation and sometimes sepsis.

Visit our emergency dentist in Longmont If you notice pimples in the gums. But, in the meantime, use warm salty water to rinse the mouth and reduce the severity of the pain.

• Toothache

Most toothache cases are idiopathic and often clear on their own without any medication. However, because of decay or tooth fracture, you may experience severe pain. Pain relievers can help ease the pain but first talk to the dentist before taking any medication.

• Broken or fractured teeth

Minor broken teeth are not a dental problem and can wait for your next dental appointment. However, if you notice your teeth are fractured to the root, they need urgent treatment to prevent the teeth from dying.

What to do When an Oral Accident Occurs?

How you handle dental emergencies will make all the difference in how successful the treatment will be. As you visit our emergency dentist in Longmont, CO, here are a few tips that can help ease the pain and bleeding.

• Locate the teeth (if partially dislodged) and try to push it back to the socket using the crown. Do not touch the roots to avoid damaging the fragments. If the teeth are completely knocked out, place the teeth in a milk solution to preserve the teeth and keep them from dying.
• Visit the dentist within the first hour of having a dental emergency. It is easy for our Longmont dentist to save the teeth.
• Use a gauze pad and teabag to control the bleeding.
• Apply a cold compress to ease the swelling and pain.
• Rinse the teeth with warm water to remove dirt or any broken teeth pieces.

What are Non-Urgent Dental Emergencies?

Non-urgent dental emergencies are accidents that can wait for the next dental appointment, such as:

• A dull toothache,
• Food stuck in between the teeth
• Broken dental restorations such as veneers and crowns

Please make no mistake, these dental traumas are critical, only that they can wait for a couple of days. You, however, need to visit the dentist for a proper assessment.

Schedule an Assessment

Visit Fox Creek Dental in Longmont for more information on dental emergencies, especially if you are in doubt and cannot differentiate between urgent and non-urgent emergencies. We will assess your teeth and recommend an appropriate treatment.