You may wonder, what qualifies as a dental emergency? What factors comprise a dental emergency?
A dental emergency, like any medical emergency, is when you need immediate attention to your mouth or teeth usually as the result of an accident.
While no emergency can be limited to a finite amount of factors, there are some things to be aware of that put you in the realm of a dental emergency. Our focus in this post is four factors comprising a dental emergency.
These are just some guidelines as any injury to the teeth, gums, mouth, lips, etc. can be considered an emergency if severe enough.
Bleeding
Bleeding alone doesn’t qualify as an emergency. If the blood flow is light, or if at least stops when you administer first-aid, then it’s probably not an emergency.
If the blood flow is heavy or won’t stop flowing, then you probably need immediate attention from a dental professional.
It is never good for your body to refuse to stop bleeding, and it is usually the result of some trauma or impact.
Pain
We aren’t just talking slight toothache pain. We are talking severe pain, the “I’m going to rip my tooth out to make it stop hurting” kind.
If medicine doesn’t help, then see a dentist. Tooth pain can be indicative of many things, from a cavity to a deeper problem.
Any severe pain should get you in to see the dentist, but especially if it happened as a result of a specific event. If you crashed on your bike and now your tooth is hurting, see a dentist.
Saving Tooth
If something happens, or if you are sitting there, and you question whether your tooth will have to be pulled after what just happened, it’s an emergency.
When it comes to saving the tooth, you can qualify it as an emergency. If you’ve been experiencing chronic issues and then it flares up worse than before and worries you about the health of your tooth, get emergency dental help.
Knocked Out
If you ever get a tooth knocked out, you need to see the dentist. When teeth are ripped out of their place, it damages everything underneath as well.
Nerves, blood vessels, and maybe more. There needs to be some work done by a dentist to make sure no infection sets in or further damage occur.
Luckily, knocked out teeth can be replaced if dealt with quickly. The tooth can be reattached to the root giving you your smile back.
It has to be dealt with very soon after the tooth is knocked out to be saved, however. If a tooth is knocked loose, that is also a time where emergency dental care can be administered.
Conclusion
We use our mouths every day. From eating to communicating, it’s safe to say our mouths are essential.
That’s why it’s so important to take care of them. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily will prevent the majority of problems in your mouth.
Learn seven common mouth problems, and when you should see your dentist.
Teeth are important. Daily oral hygiene can keep your mouth, gums, and teeth healthy strong and looking great.
They won’t, however, prevent emergencies from arising. Any time you think you might need emergency dental care, call an emergency dental practice.
It’s always better to be safe and get emergency care, even if it ends up not being necessary. Your mouth will thank you.
