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As obvious as this may sound, you can never, ever be prepared when emergency strikes. This is why a lot of dental health professionals advise us to always be mindful of our oral health. A lot of us know when we need to seek emergency treatment but do not know the extent of it. The great thing about dental clinics in Australia is that most of them are well-equipped to handle urgent dental problems, even if some dental issues do not require immediate attention. So the question still remains—when should you visit an emergency dental clinic for immediate treatment?
What is emergency dental treatment?
Emergency dental treatment involves urgent care for dental issues that cannot wait for a regular appointment due to a lot of reasons, but mostly because of unbearable pain and infection that inflict damage to the teeth and gums. Emergency treatment aims to prevent further complications that might lead to permanent tooth loss.
Common Types of Dental Emergencies
Severe toothache. If you are experiencing an intense pain that’s throbbing simultaneously with how your heart beats, that is something grave, as it won’t go away and would need professional help. Sometimes, a temporary fix of over-the-counter pain relief would ease the pain; however, seeing your emergency dentist as soon as possible will always be the best option.
Knocked-out tooth. It might be due to an accident, but a completely knocked-out tooth requires your immediate attention because it is time-sensitive. The bad news is that you have a little bit over an hour to rescue your tooth; however, the good news is that your tooth can be saved and can be reattached to its socket, just as long as you go to the dentist immediately after gently rinsing the tooth and storing it in a saline solution.
Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth. Breaking of a tooth, especially if it is a large portion, can expose the sensitive nerves that might in turn lead to extreme pain and even infection of either your tooth or gums. So if it involves not only a chipped tooth but also bleeding and pain on the exposed part, don’t wait for a regular appointment and seek dental emergency care immediately.
Dental Abscess or Swelling. An abscess is a type of infection that forms around a tooth or gum and is often serious because it not only leads to severe pain and swelling, but it can also cause you fever. The worst part is that it spreads to other parts of your body that can even cause you major health complications in the long run.
Excessive bleeding after an extraction. Bleeding is often seen as normal, especially after your tooth got extracted. However, it becomes alarming if it continues for several hours. If this happens to you, be on high alert and keep your head elevated when applying gauze. But if these don’t help, your professional dentist will surely take care of your situation.
Lost or damaged dental work (fillings, crowns, or braces). Though you might feel that this is less of a priority, losing a filling or crown is a serious issue because it leaves your tooth exposed to infection and other things that are detrimental to your oral health. Don’t let this slide and consult your dentist right away.
Swollen Jaw or Face. Sometimes a swollen jaw is not only because of trauma, but it can also be because of salivary gland issues that can be an obvious sign of infection. While the swelling is not yet accompanied by a fever or difficulty in breathing, it is best that you seek emergency treatment now before it’s too late.
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
To us, situations like these are already a point of concern, but before you dial that emergency number, make sure that you take a deep breath first and assess the situation. If you can control the bleeding or swelling of the affected area, you can not only help your dentist know the best treatment for you but also know how to conduct first aid by yourself.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
While some dental emergencies are unavoidable, good oral hygiene and other measures can be done to prevent them in the future, like brushing and flossing daily and regularly visiting your dentist for routine check-ups so they can catch potential issues early on.
Know when to seek emergency treatment.
Keeping yourself informed of these situations and being mindful of your current condition are some of the things that will help you in these tight instances.