Dental Emergency: What Should You Do?
Dental Emergency: What Should You Do?
Many patients aren’t sure what is actually a dental emergency and what is not. For most people, a dental issue is not usually a medical priority. They think it’s just a common oral or tooth pain you can relieve with simple home remedies.
So, what do we think is considered a dental emergency?
Real Dental Emergency Scenario
A real dental emergency is something that causes sensitivity or pain and puts you in danger.
You may not realize it but some dental problems may actually end up causing bigger trouble. Some issues can be life-threatening if not given immediate dental care and attention. Leaving any unusual pain unattended for a long time may lead to dental symptoms of an emergency. We are talking about intense swelling and persistent bleeding of cheeks, gum, and teeth.
In this case, it’s a time-sensitive dental emergency that requires immediately contacting the local dental emergency room. You might need a prescription of antibiotics or even a life-saving dental surgery. This would be necessary for oral issues such as severe mouth ulcers, dental abscess, fractured jaw, chipped dental crown, and uncontrollable bleeding after tooth extraction.
Non-Emergency Cases
On the other hand, some dental problems do not exhibit severe and alarmingly persistent pain, swelling, or bleeding. They are not usually considered a dental emergency.
These dental issues can be temporarily relieved by avoiding extreme temperatures in drinks and sugary or acidic foods. Also, thoroughly brushing your teeth, rinsing your mouth, and regularly flossing your gums usually help a lot.
Still, as your friendly neighborhood dentists in Ancaster, our advice is that you pay attention to any non-emergency dental issues. It could be recurring minor toothaches, sensitive or bleeding gums, orthodontic problems, lost tooth, and discomfort from wearing dentures.
It could also be something like a tooth fracture or crack. If it’s not getting any better, it may lead to a tooth infection, which we consider a dental emergency.
The bottom line is these dental problems are tolerable and can be ignored for a while. However, these issues can still negatively affect your quality of life. They can keep you from enjoying the things you do for work and leisure.
Yes, you may not need immediate dental treatment to resolve these dental problems. However, it’s not a good idea to postpone dental consultation until you actually need dental surgery or medications.
How to Approach Dental Emergencies
The best approach to any dental issues is to contact the local dental office for their professional advice. If something like this happens to you, we want you to call us at Smiling Dental as soon as possible.
You have two options.
First, we have an emergency line that is open 24/7. You can contact us by sending an email or text. This way our Ancaster Emergency Dentists can screen you over the phone and assess the best care for your emergency.
The other way is to simply call the dental office to request an emergency visit. We can get you in as soon as possible to help you deal with it. We offer same-day help so you don’t have to wait. We don’t want to put you through all the hassles during serious situations like this.
Our emergency dentists are ready to help right away so you can return to the best times of your life.
Smiling Dental has a FREE Dental Emergency Cheat Sheet that you can download from our website. Our staff can also mail a free physical copy to you if that’s what you prefer.
We hope you never need it. If it comes to that, our cheat sheet will give you the most essential information. With it, you can manage any dental emergencies at home while help is on the way.
We know dental emergencies happen at the worst times. Call us if you happen to be anywhere in Ancaster, Hamilton, Dundas, and Stoney Creek. Our emergency dentists will be there to assist you with personalized dental care and attention.
