How to Handle a Dental Emergency
It’s hard to see past the pain and shock of a dental emergency, but as in every crisis situation, you need to remain calm and take action as quickly as you can. Call your local emergency dentist straight away, describe your symptoms and seek advice on your best course of action.
Reacting to dental emergencies
An abscess in your mouth can be extremely serious – even life-threatening in certain circumstances. Contact your emergency dentist immediately or go to the emergency section at your local hospital. If you have a periodontal abscess you will usually experience swelling and redness. It will show as a large pimple-like lump filled with pus on your gum.
The pain may be intense when you chew down on a tooth, and, in advanced cases, you might run a fever, feel nauseous or start vomiting, and might get diarrhoea. If the abscess ruptures before you get treatment, rinse your mouth with warm water while you get to your dentist or the hospital.
A knocked out tooth needs instant action. If you received a blow to the face during a fight, while playing contact sport, or if you are in an accident, your teeth could be seriously harmed. If a tooth is knocked out, you must see your dentist immediately if you want to save it.
Provided a dislodged tooth is treated immediately, there is a good chance of saving it, but the window of action is very small. The best chance of success is within the first two hours. If the tooth is clean and you are sure you won’t swallow it, you can try replacing it very gently in the empty socket, making sure not to touch the root at all in the process. Otherwise take it with you to the dentist in a container of milk.
If the tooth is loose or out of alignment, you can try to push it back into its place very gently, but do not force it. Visit a dental emergency clinic immediately.
Injuries to tongues and lips bleed profusely. Do your best to stop the bleeding by pressing down on the wound with a clean cloth. Use an ice pack if your lip is swollen, and get to the emergency section at the hospital as quickly as possible.
Dealing with severe toothache correctly is very important. Taking a painkiller and holding an ice-pack against the face where the sore tooth or pain is, should help reduce any swelling. It’s not a good idea to put the pain pill directly on the tooth, and do not apply heat in the form of a heating pad or a hot water bottle.
Chipped or broken teeth can usually be saved. It the damage is small, all it may require is a white filling. If the break or chip is more serious, it might be necessary for you to have a root canal, and your dentist may use a crown or cap to restore the tooth.
If something is stuck between your teeth the worst thing you can do is to try and force it out with something hard or sharp. This could injure your gums or damage the enamel on your teeth. Do try to remove it using dental floss, but be gentle in the process. If you can’t remove whatever is stuck between your teeth, see your dentist as soon as possible.
When you lose a filling, don’t ignore it and wait for it to cause pain. At the same time, it is usually not necessary to go for emergency treatment, unless the pain has got too bad. You can protect your tooth for a short time by placing a softened piece of sugar-free chewing gum where the filling fell out.
