3 Types Of Dental Emergencies
Most people can maintain good dental health by visiting a dentist, such as Schererville Family Dentistry, PC, at least twice a year. However, there are certain dental problems that can warrant an immediate trip to the dentist. Here are three dental problems that you should have treated by a dentist as quickly as possible.
Dental Trauma
Any time a tooth is cracked, broken, or knocked out of your mouth, you should go see a dentist immediately. Cracked and broken teeth can sometimes be accompanied by severe pain and bleeding, but other times there is no pain at all. Even if your broken tooth is painless, the crack allows bacteria in your mouth to access the pulp of the tooth and cause infection, possibly leading to an abscessed tooth. Until you get to the dentist's office, you can manage your broken tooth by rinsing with warm water, holding gauze on the tooth to stop the bleeding, and holding a cold rag or ice pack to your jaw to reduce swelling and numb the pain.
Lost teeth are a dental emergency for more than one reason. Depending on how badly the tooth was damaged, your dentist may be able to put the tooth back in its socket if you see him immediately. This can allow you to avoid procedures like root canal therapy or dental implant surgery. To maximize your chances of saving the tooth that was knocked out, rinse the tooth and store it in cold milk until you make it to the dentist's office. Be careful not to touch the root of the tooth, as this decreases the likelihood that it can be set back in the socket.
Even if the dentist can't reinsert your tooth, he will need to treat the socket that the tooth was removed from. Nerves and tissues in your dental socket will begin to decay within just a few days if your tooth is missing and is not replaced, which can lead to serious infection.
Dislodged Filling
Fillings can sometimes come out when you are eating or grinding your teeth in your sleep. You are likely to notice immediately if a filling comes out, as the tooth will often become extremely sensitive to pressure and extreme temperature. Immediately after the filling has fallen out, you should remove it from your mouth so that you don't accidentally swallow or inhale it. You do not typically need to keep the filling, as the dentist will usually create a new one for your tooth.
If you cannot see a dentist immediately for a lost filling, you will need to be extra careful not to damage the tooth when you are eating. Try chewing on the other side of your mouth and limit extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. You will also need to keep up excellent oral hygiene, as a tooth that has lost its filling is at a greater risk than ever of becoming infected. Avoid sugary and sticky foods, and consider switching to a soft toothbrush to reduce the pain of brushing the affected tooth.
Severe Tooth Pain
Any time that you start experiencing severe tooth pain for seemingly no reason, you should take it as a sign that you need to see the dentist. Sudden tooth pain always has a cause, with some of the most common causes being gum line recession that has exposed the roots of your teeth, or the pulp of your tooth has become inflamed and infected from an unknown cavity.
Your teeth cannot heal on their own, so you should be sure to visit the dentist's office as soon as you notice a problem. Keep these dental emergencies in mind so that you know when an immediate trip to the dentist is necessary.