Most people have been to the emergency room or urgent care clinic at some point in their lives. When you’re sick or injured, the best thing to do is seek medical help immediately. But sometimes your teeth need urgent care, too.
Seven Types of Dental Emergencies
Knowing when to contact your dentist for an emergency appointment could prevent serious pain and even save a tooth from dying. Here are seven situations that qualify as dental emergencies.
- You have severe tooth pain.
Everybody gets a toothache once in a while, but pain that keeps you awake at night or makes it difficult to eat needs to be addressed right away. If you have a severe, constant, throbbing toothache, you may need an emergency root canal treatment or a tooth extraction. - You have a dental abscess.
A severe gum infection, also known as a dental abscess, needs immediate attention. Infections that build up in the gums can spread to your jaw, causing bone loss, or get into your bloodstream and infect other parts of your body. If you have a pimple on your gums that oozes pus, see a dentist right away. - You have a tooth that was knocked out or knocked loose.
If you took a fall while mountain biking or a wayward baseball hit you in the jaw and knocked out a tooth, you can still save it! Don’t try to clean the tooth. Just pick it up carefully, avoiding touching the root, rinse it with water, and put it back in the socket or in a glass of milk until you can get to the dentist. Or, if any of your teeth feel loose after an accident, schedule an emergency appointment so your dentist can save the tooth before it dies. - You have a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth.
Damage to your teeth leads to serious tooth decay. When your teeth are cracked or chipped, it’s easy for bacteria to get inside and start an infection. Even if you’re not in any pain, don’t put off seeing a dentist. Waiting to repair a broken tooth will only cause worse problems and lead to more costly restorations. - You lost a filling or cracked a crown.
Just like broken teeth, damaged restorations need to be repaired before bacteria can take hold. Plaque starts to form in as little as 24 hours, and if the interior of your tooth is exposed, you could be facing further decay and even tooth loss. If you lose a filling or break a crown, see a dentist as soon as possible. - You broke your braces.
If you snapped a band or popped a bracket, you need to get your braces repaired right away. Broken braces will hurt your mouth and make your treatment take longer. Call your orthodontist for an urgent appointment if your braces ever get broken or damaged. - Your mouth won’t stop bleeding.
Excessive bleeding after an injury or a tooth extraction is also a dental emergency. Apply a piece of clean gauze to the affected area, use a cold compress on your cheek to reduce swelling, and get to the dentist as soon as possible.
Emergency Dental Care in Pueblo, Colorado
There’s no need to suffer from dental pain when relief is so close by! The longer you wait, the worse the problem will become. If you have a dental emergency, contact Advantage Dental Group right away. We offer same-day appointments for dental emergencies and professional, compassionate care. If your condition isn’t one of the types of dental emergencies listed, give us a call and we can help you determine when you should see a dentist.