What Do We Mean By A Dental Emergency?

It is advisable to book an appointment with our dentist at least twice a year. A dental emergency is anything that will lead to visiting our dentist outside the regular appointments. This may be caused by pain, discomfort, or trauma in the mouth that will result in lacerations to the gums and teeth fracture. This article looks at various dental trauma and emergencies that may necessitate visiting a dental office near you for urgent care.

Common Dental Emergencies

Below are common dental emergencies. Note that missing fillings and broken dental appliances do not always classify as emergencies.

1. Toothache

Toothaches are never a good sign. They are caused by several problems in the tooth, including tooth decay. Some aches are manageable and are not listed as emergencies, but when there is swelling, it requires emergency treatment. It would be best if you avoided painkillers because they burn the affected gum.

Instead, apply a cold press to the outside of your cheek and contact our emergency dentists in Tampa for treatment. It is important to maintain basic oral hygiene to avoid cavities, tooth decay, and other problems.

2. Chipped or Broken Teeth

When you bite something hard, your teeth may break or chip off. This will not only ruin your great smile but also is capable of inflicting pain. In this case, you should first rinse your mouth with warm water, and to the site, apply gauze to stop the bleeding. Then, to relieve pain and reduce swelling, use a cold press at the side of your face next to the broken or chipped tooth.

After that, seek emergency dental care. It would help if you were cautious when biting down on hard and crunchy food. Sporting and other activities can also cause teeth to break, so you should always make sure your mouth is protected.

3. Knocked-out Tooth

You may fall or get involved in an accident, and your tooth is knocked off. You should pick up the tooth and if it’sdirty and rinse the root only. Do not scrub as it will remove attached tissues. Also, rinse your mouth with warm water and use gauze to stop bleeding.

It is possible to place the tooth back to where it was but do not push it into the sockets. This should be done within an hour.

If you cannot do that, place it in a cup with water or milk and a salt pinch before going to our dentist in Tampa.

4. Abscess

An abscess is an infection in the mouth near the root of your tooth or the space between teeth and gums. These infections are serious and, if left untreated, will spread through the surrounding teeth and gum tissue and then to the rest of the body.

It is seen as a pimple-like swollen spot that is painful. This infection calls for emergency treatment to prevent worse dental problems. Applying ice at the spot helps to reduce pain temporarily.

5. Bleeding and Pain After a Tooth Extraction

After tooth extraction, it is normal to experience some post-op pain and bleeding. However, if these persist even an hour later, it is time to visit a dentist. To stop the bleeding, you need to place a gauze at the extraction site and bite it down to apply pressure

Why You Should Not Avoid Dental Emergencies

You should not ignore the emergencies discussed. In some severe cases, you may even need to be attended in an emergency room. If any issues are left untreated, they can spread to the center of the tooth. This causes an infection in the pulp, and the nerves become inflamed.

Bleeding is an indication of a dental problem. When you notice blood during brushing or flossing, it is an indication of gum disease. Severe bleeding will be caused by a cut that will need to be stitched. Broken teeth cause cuts. If blood is present in the saliva, it indicates advanced gum diseases or cancer.

Bumps in your mouth can be a sign of oral cancer. You should visit our dentist so that the problem is classified and treatment starts immediately.

We have an emergency dentist at Wang and Cortes Dental in Tampa. Reach out to us whenever a dental emergency arises.