With prompt response and correct first aid treatment, there’s a high chance of restoring your oral health and preventing long-term damage. This blog will discuss some of the most common dental emergencies and how you can deal with them.

What is a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies are more common than you could imagine. They can occur at surprising moments when you are least expecting them. Whether they are due to chewing on hard candy or falling in the middle of your sports, sometimes these emergencies can be too severe that there is no other option except rushing to the dentist’s office.

Some of the most common dental emergencies involve tooth decay, chipped teeth, and gum diseases. While practicing good oral hygiene and dental care can avoid damage to your oral health, there is no way you can avoid such emergencies that occur unexpectedly. Knowing what to do when such a situation arises can help prevent long-term damage.

While most dental emergencies are associated with constant pain, some don’t. These cases get neglected by patients, resulting in irreversible damage or a severe health condition.

What Happens When You Neglect Emergency Dental Treatment?

Dental emergencies are known to cause severe distress to patients. Even though many people willfully ignore them because of their fear of dentists or just non-compliant attitude. However, one must know the consequences of ignoring emergency dental treatment.

• The first sign in many dental emergencies is excruciating pain. But if left untreated for a while, the pain can go away. This isn’t a good sign, though. The reason the pain decreases isn’t because the condition resolves on its own. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. The pain dies due to severe nerve damage caused by the progression of infection. This might lead to irreversible damage to the tooth and surrounding structures.
• The progression of dental infection can also cause the bacteria to travel through your bloodstream. In such cases, patients might suffer from septicemia, rheumatoid fever, and even infective endocarditis. These diseases are complicated and affect many of your body systems.
• Some dental emergencies like a fractured or broken tooth might result in permanent loss of said tooth if not treated promptly. You’ll end up with a big space in your mouth and will have to go for other costly dental processes such as implants or prostheses.

Now that you know the consequences, let’s discuss the most common emergencies and how you can handle them aptly to prevent permanent damage or severe infections.

Types of Dental Emergencies and the ways to handle them

1. Infected Tooth

A tooth can have an infection, while not showing any signs. Generally, infection manifests in the form of toothache. Toothache is the most common type of dental emergency and one of the worst symptoms of a dental infection. Pain is never a good sign and can cause several conditions. Some toothaches can be managed at home without emergency treatment; others require urgent medical assistance.

Therefore, you must avoid using common remedies, such as taking unprescribed painkillers. When aspirin or other painkillers come in contact with your affected gums, they may burn the tissue. If the pain is not excruciating, apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek. However, if the pain is beyond manageable, consult your dentist at the earliest.

2. Fractured Or Chipped Teeth

Teeth can be damaged due to breaking or getting chipped from any side. You can get broken or chipped teeth due to countless reasons. Some of the most common ones include biting down on something too hard, damage from sports, facial trauma, or untreated cavities that can cause a tooth to become brittle and break. Not only does it ruin your smile, but it also hurts badly.

If something like this happens, rinse your mouth with warm water. Put a piece of gauze on the bleeding area and a cold compress on your face closest to the damaged area to relieve pain. Now head straight away to your dentist to get things fixed to avoid any further damage.

3. Severed Braces

Although braces are made with metal wires and brackets to withstand pressure, they can break, stick out, or get damaged in other ways. The material is tough and does not damage easily with daily chewing, eating, or talking. However, if it does get damaged, it can poke your gums and cheeks, thereby causing extreme discomfort. If this happens, you can always try pushing the broken part of the wire back.

If that does not work, cover the broken wire with a cotton ball, orthodontic wax, or a piece of gauze, and visit your dentist as soon as you can. Some people cut the wire, thinking it will get more comfortable.

In truth, the sharp end may poke into your gums or cheeks, causing them to bleed and increasing the likelihood of infection. Therefore, it is advised never to cut the wire and let the experts deal with it to save you from unnecessary pain.

4. Damaged Crown And Re-infection

Crowns and fillings restore previously damaged teeth to their function and optimal appearance. If they break, it can cause common dental emergencies, such as reinfection, if you don’t get it treated right away. While you await dental care, try sticking a piece of sugar-free gum into the cavity and put the filling in a ziplock bag to keep it safe. Do not try to fix it yourself, as it can increase the risk of infection and cause pain.

5. Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a quite prevalent dental issue. One study revealed that dental infection admissions occur at the rate of 1 per 2600 per population in the US. These infections occur in the mouth, particularly near the root of a tooth or in the space between the gums and teeth. If they go untreated, they can spread to surrounding gum tissues and, in the worst-case scenario, the rest of the body.

The most common symptoms of an abscess include a painful, swollen spot in the gums. Rinse your mouth with a mild solution and apply ice for temporary relief. Head to your dentist immediately to prevent the situation from worsening.

Bottom Line

Oral care is as important as any other body part. Many people do not give it the care and attention it deserves, only to be filled with regrets later. Therefore, always practice healthy habits to avoid dental emergencies and visit a dental clinic every once in a while for a thorough examination.

Regular dental checkups aren’t just so you can get your cavities filled or wisdom tooth extracted. Routine visits to dentists are important to figure out any potential dental condition and treat it as early as possible. Moreover, scaling and polishing after every few months is a great way to maintain good oral hygiene. It also helps combat potential gum diseases. So, stop waiting around for an emergency and visit a dentist now. If you want a top-class checkup and treatment, our dentists at Anderson Lake Dental are here to help you put aside all your dental woes in one go.

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