When Do I Need an Emergency Dentist?

You never know when an emergency is going to happen, which is why hospitals have emergency rooms to accommodate patients in need of immediate care. However, what happens when your emergency is dental? Here are some of the signs that you might need to take a trip to the emergency dentist.

What Requires Urgent Emergency Dental Care?

Dental emergencies all require prompt care, but urgent emergencies are at the top of the list because your health and well-being are in danger. Some of the most common types of urgent dental emergencies include:

• A tooth that was knocked out
• Excruciating dental pain
• Lacerations in the mouth
• Dental abscess or infection
• Loose tooth
• Broken tooth

When you experience these types of dental trauma or pain, you should call the emergency number for the dental practice immediately. Depending on how severe the emergency is, they may provide you with instructions to visit the emergency room or hospital.

What Requires Emergency Dental Care?

There are also less-urgent dental conditions that still warrant emergency care. For example, a mild toothache is an emergency, but if your pain can be relieved with over-the-counter pain relievers, it is less urgent. If you are uncertain as to whether or not you need emergency care, call the dentist to get their expert opinion.

Some of the non-urgent emergencies include:

• Mild dental pain or toothache
• Lost filling
• Lost crown
• Food stuck between teeth
• Minor chip in a tooth

How to Handle a Gum Abscess Until You Can See the Dentist 

Gum abscesses often appear as pus-filled bumps on the surface of the gums. While they look similar to pimples or other blemishes, you should never attempt to pop the abscess. Call the emergency dentist to get instructions, as they will likely have you come in to get the abscess drained and receive antibiotics.

If the pain is severe, you may need to take antibiotics to eliminate the infection before additional treatment can be administered. Dental abscesses will never disappear on their own without medical intervention, and the longer that you wait for treatment, the higher the chances are that you will develop an infection.

How to Handle a Loose or Knocked Out Tooth Until You Can See the Dentist 

If your tooth is loose suddenly due to trauma or an accident, you should take care to not eat or drink anything that might disturb the position of the tooth until you see the dentist. There is a good chance that your tooth can be saved with proper, prompt treatment.

Was your tooth knocked out during an accident or while playing sports? You should pick up the phone and call the dentist right away, as mere minutes can determine whether or not the tooth is saved. Grab the tooth by the chewing surface, not the end that was in your gums or the root. If the roots are damaged or destroyed, it will hamper the ability of your dentist to put the tooth back. Your dentist will provide you with additional instructions while you drive to the office.

How to Handle a Broken or Cracked Tooth Until You Can See the Dentist 

Call the dentist to schedule emergency care and get further instructions. Rinse your mouth with warm water and keep the affected area from getting dry. Do not place crushed aspirin on the crack, like some top search results on Google suggest, as this can do permanent damage to the enamel of the tooth and your gums and hamper the repair process.

Should You Go to the Hospital First?

In rare cases, your dental emergency might also be a more general emergency that requires hospital care before you can get dental care. If you experienced trauma to the head, face, or mouth and have a dislocated jaw, serious cuts or lacerations that are bleeding, jaw fractures, or an abscess that is so infected you are struggling to breathe, you should start at the hospital.

Once you receive care for your immediate problem, you can then call your dentist and set up an appointment for additional care. In cases like these, heading to the hospital first is also important because they can evaluate you for a concussion or other trauma-related injuries that might require care.