Seeking Professional Help: When to Visit the Emergency Dentist
Visiting your dentist regularly plays an important role in keeping your teeth healthy, but sometimes, you may need fast or emergency dental care. When to call an emergency dentist can make all the difference in how well you handle dental problems and how much damage is avoided in the long run.
What are the different types of dental emergencies?
Here are some warning signs that you need to see an emergency dentist as soon as you can. In such situations, timely intervention is a vital factor in preventing serious health problems:
- Severe tooth pain that won’t go away with time and painkillers
- Knocked out tooth
- Broken or fractured tooth
- Lost or loose crown or filling
- Dental abscess
- Injuries to Oral Structures
Traumatic Dental Emergencies: Types and Treatments
Dental injuries are usually caused by trauma, sports injury, or car accidents. The most common dental injuries are chipped or cracked teeth. If the impact is severe, the tooth may break or knock out. The emergency treatment of dental injuries depends on the type, location, and severity of the injury. Whenever your teeth are damaged, no matter how mild or severe it is, you should visit the emergency dentist immediately. The length of time that a tooth is out of the socket and how it is stored are critical factors in the success of the treatment.
Although you may not experience pain or discomfort immediately after the trauma, you may experience severe pain after a month or more. In this case, the pulp is completely damaged, and the endodontics must be performed in the emergency dental clinic. It may also cause:
- Loose tooth
- Knocked out tooth
- Bruising
- A dental crown or root fracture
- Displacement of the tooth, which can be intrusion, extrusion, or lateral luxation
How the Tooth Structure Is Damaged in Dental Injuries and How It Is Treated
Let’s have a look at the structure of a tooth. Tooth enamel is the outer surface layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest mineral substance in the body and is much stronger and harder than bone. The next layer is the dentin which is not as hard as the enamel. Underneath the dentin is a cavity known as pulp that contains the blood and nerve supply.
- If the pulp is damaged, the tooth is not alive. In this case, endodontics is required. The dentist will remove all the dead tissue from the tooth, and the tooth is filled with artificial materials.
- If the enamel is damaged or decayed, the dentist uses dental bonding to repair it without anesthesia injection.
- If the dentin is damaged, the emergency dentist can repair it with a dental crown. They will use local anesthesia to numb the area.
- If the decayed tooth is severely damaged and cannot be saved, your dentist extracts the tooth and uses dental implants to replace it.
Immediate Steps to Take: What to Do Until You See a Dentist
Act Fast and Calm: The Golden Hour to Save Your Tooth
When you experience a dental emergency, especially if your tooth is damaged, time is the key. The first hour after an injury is called the “golden hour” because it’s when the tooth has the best chance of being saved, and long-term damage is least likely to happen. During this crucial time, acting quickly and staying calm can have a big effect on how things turn out.
My Tooth is Knocked Out. What Should I Do?
- To begin with, try to stay cool. When you’re scared, it can be hard to think clearly and make the right decisions.
- Next, find the tooth that was knocked out and carefully handle it with its cap, which is the part that you can see. Do not touch the root because it could damage the soft tissues that are needed for reattachment.
- If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or salt water. Do not scrub or use soap on the tooth because it will cause more damage. After cleaning the tooth, try to put it back in its place if you can. To keep it in place until you can see a dentist, gently bite down on a clean cloth or gauze to keep it stable.
- If you can’t put the tooth back in, keep it moist by putting it in a jar of milk or saliva. Do not use water because it can hurt the cells in your teeth. Then, call an emergency dentist or go to the hospital to receive the appropriate treatment.
Don’t forget that the golden hour is a very short time to save your tooth. You can improve your chances of a good result and protect your dental health by acting quickly, staying calm, and following these steps.
If You Have a Severe Toothache:
In case of a severe toothache, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater to ease the pain and reduce swelling. You can also over-the-counter painkillers to help you feel better until you can see a dentist. You shouldn’t put aspirin and other medicines directly on the gums because they can burn them.
If You’ve Lost Your Crown or Filling:
If your dental restoration is lost, protect the tooth until you can see a doctor by putting dental cement or sugar-free gum over it. Do not chew on the tooth and watch out for any sharp tips that could damage the tissues around it.
If Your Tooth is Chipped or Broken:
If you’ve broken or chipped your tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area and put a cold compress on it to reduce swelling. Until you can see a dentist, don’t eat anything hard or crunchy that could hurt your tooth even more.
Remember: These steps are only meant to help you deal with your symptoms and protect your oral health until you visit your dentist. For the root cause of the tooth emergency to be fixed and for further problems to be avoided, it is important to get professional evaluation and treatment right away.
How can I prevent dental emergencies from happening in the future?
Being mindful of protecting your oral health and not risking it with dangerous acts is a must to save your peace of mind, time, and money. To prevent traumatic dental injuries:
- Try using a mouthguard when you play sports.
- Avoid eating hard foods, such as ice or nuts.
- Fasten your seat belt in the car.
Need an Emergency Dentist in North York?
Our emergency dentists and their experienced staff at 6006 Yonge Dental Clinic are always ready to help you in emergency cases. If you are in an emergency, call us immediately so we can make the necessary interventions and make sure that your dental issues won’t lead to serious complications.
FAQs
If you injured your tooth, find it, hold it by the crown, rinse it gently if it’s dirty and try to put it back in its place. If that’s not possible, keep the tooth in milk or saliva. Then see an emergency dentist immediately.
You should see a dentist within an hour to give your tooth the best chance of being saved.
You can rinse your mouth with warm saltwater and put a cold compress on the injured tooth to reduce swelling. Additionally, you can use painkillers to reduce your pain. Don’t chew on the damaged tooth and stick to soft foods like soup and mashed potatoes.
If you have a dental emergency, you should go straight to the dentist unless you are bleeding heavily, having trouble breathing, or having other life-threatening problems. In that case, you should go to the emergency room.
When you go to the dentist’s office after a dental emergency, you can expect a full oral examination, treatment to fix the problem, and recommendations on caring for your tooth after leaving the office.
To avoid dental problems in the future, brush and floss your teeth regularly, wear protective gear when playing sports, don’t chew on hard objects, and go to the dentist for regular check-ups.
