What is considered a dental emergency?

For some reason, it seems as though dental emergencies develop at the worst possible times. You or your kids will start feeling pain in your mouth in the middle of the night, while driving to a place that is far from home, or during a Sunday afternoon when it might be impossible to reach your dentist. And once that pain sets in, it will prevent you from going to work, school, or any of your usual activities and rob you of the pleasure of enjoying a meal. What’s more, your issue may require that you look for modern advances in dentistry in Charlotte to deal with something causing your dental problems. No matter what the problem is, when it comes to dental emergencies, you sure are willing to do anything to recover your normal life as soon as possible.

What are the most common dental emergencies?

These are some of the most frequent ones.

Tooth Pain

The discomfort you may feel when you have a toothache is such that you may be unable to wait until the next day to have it looked at. Look for a dentistry office that offers 24/7 emergency services and get your mouth feeling comfortable again.

Chipped or Broken Tooth

Young children and athletes tend to experience broken teeth, although anyone can chip a tooth while slipping and falling in their own home. Seeing your dentist right away will have the tooth bonded back together quickly.

Gums That Are Swollen or Bleeding

Abscesses and gum disease can cause swelling in your mouth. Although swelling can sometimes wait to be treated until the following day, if it extends into the side of your face and your dentist cannot see you right away, go to the closest emergency room to have it looked at.

Broken Fillings or Crowns

When crowns or fillings break or fall out of the mouth, it may be due to an injury, a direct hit to the face, or a filling or crown that has reached the end of its life. When it happens, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and, even if there is no pain, seek dental care as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

Knocked-Out Tooth

When a tooth gets knocked out for any reason, it becomes an immediate dental emergency. Your dentist will examine the area and confirm whether the root has been damaged or is intact. As soon as the tooth falls out, try to place it back in its socket and apply gentle pressure before heading out to your dentist’s office to see if the tooth can be salvaged.

Abscessed Tooth

Abscesses happen when trauma, infection, or tooth decay are present. These conditions can trigger nerve sensitivity, pain, swelling, or throbbing and may compromise the affected tooth’s nerve. Don’t let an abscess go untreated since this may result in further pain.

Denture Emergencies

People who wear dentures may also have emergencies, such as when their dentures get broken or damaged and cause discomfort, making it hard to eat. Not having good-fitting dentures is an emergency in the sense that it can truly impact a wearer’s quality of life and keep them from enjoying everyday activities.

Tips For Tooth Pain

When the toothache starts, and if you cannot get to your dentist right away, there are some tips you may try to provide you with temporary relief until a professional can fix the issue.

Salt rinse – Mix a teaspoon of salt in a large glass of warm water and rinse your mouth several times with this solution.

Cold compress – Apply a cold compress to the side of your mouth where you feel the pain. Hold it in place for 20 minutes or until you don’t feel the cold anymore.

Pain reliever – Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like Ibuprofen or Motrin. Don’t take more pills than those indicated on the bottle.

Seek emergency dental care – Even if one of the above tips offers you relief, don’t for a minute believe that the problem that gave you pain has been resolved. If left untreated, it will likely flare up again quite soon.