Dental health plays a vital role in our overall health. Neglecting a significant tooth problem is never advised and, if left untreated, may cause permanent harm. An urgent dental situation demands your prompt attention, and make sure to show it to your dentist.
What qualifies for an emergency?
While you are in pain, anything can feel urgent when you are dealing with your teeth. A dental emergency, in reality, is when there is sudden, acute pain, discomfort, or damage to the mouth.
Common dental emergencies include, but are not restricted to:
- Bleeding that is out of control and not reducing
- Infection and edema together
- a lot of dental pain
Broken or knocked-out teeth
It usually never happens on purpose, whether playing sports or just lounging at home. Both knocking out and fracturing a tooth require immediate dental care.
When teeth are knocked out:
- Find the tooth, then take it by the top.
- If it is unclean, rinse the root with water, but do not scrub or cut away any tissue that may be stuck to it.
- If at all possible, make an effort to reposition the tooth. Never yank it back into the socket with force. If you cannot put it back in, put it in a milk glass or keep it in your mouth as you drive to the dentist.
- The tooth has the best chance of being salvaged if you visit your dentist within an hour after having it extracted.
When teeth are broken:
- Any shattered teeth fragments should be saved, and you should rinse your mouth with warm water after doing so.
- If there is bleeding, apply a strip of gauze to the affected area.
- Apply a cool compress to the exterior of your mouth, lip, or cheek next to the fractured tooth to reduce swelling.
- Visit an after-hours dentist as quickly as you can.
Constant toothache
A toothache’s throbbing, persistent pain is never enjoyable. It is never something you ought to ignore, particularly if it makes it difficult for you to eat or sleep soundly. It is essential to take tooth pain seriously because it frequently indicates something is amiss.
To relieve a severe toothache:
- Use floss and warm water to rinse your mouth to try to get rid of any food or debris that may be stuck there.
- Apply a cold bandage to the cheek or lip outside your mouth to reduce swelling.
- Avoid pressing medicines against the gums close to the tooth because doing so could burn the gum tissue.