When it comes to your dental health, it’s important to know when to seek immediate care as this can be the difference between saving a tooth and risking long-term damage. Dental emergencies are often sudden and painful and emotions are running high so learning what to do in a dental emergency before you need it will help calm you down if something happens. This guide will break down what constitutes a dental emergency, what can wait until normal clinic hours, what to do while you wait to see a dentist , and give you tips to prevent dental emergencies from happening in the first place.
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Defining a Dental Emergency: When to Seek Immediate Care
A dental emergency is defined as an issue involving your teeth or gums that requires immediate attention with the aim to prevent severe complications, alleviate intense pain, or preserve the function and integrity of the teeth. Here are some examples of symptoms that would indicate a dental emergency:
- Intense or continuous pain that is not helped by over-the-counter painkillers.
- Sudden swelling in the mouth or face. This can look worse than it is as there’s very little room for swelling in mouth so it tends to quickly puff up the cheek area and can spread to under the eyes.
- A tooth that has been knocked out, cracked, or feels loose.
- Bleeding in your mouth that doesn’t stop after a few minutes of applying pressure.
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing due to mouth or jaw injuries or swelling.
Delaying treatment for a dental emergency can lead to complications like permanent tooth loss, infections that spread to other parts of the body, or more invasive dental procedures being required to fix the issue. Therefore, if you are unsure whether or not your situation is an emergency, it is best to call your regular dentist’s emergency line or an emergency dental clinic for guidance. They will be able to help you decide if you’re facing an emergency and get you seen as soon as possible if you are. Most dental clinics run emergency services out of hours and/or leave a few appointments available through the day to take emergencies so you won’t be left waiting.
The Most Common Examples of Dental Emergencies
We discussed some of the symptoms you should watch for to determine a dental emergency so now we’ll consider how they could happen.
Jaw Fracture or Dislocation
This would likely happen after trauma and requires immediate attention to reset the jaw. You will be able to see that the jaw is misaligned and there would be significant pain and swelling.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
If a child’s baby tooth is knocked out before it was loosening that’s not a problem. However, if a permanent tooth is knocked out such as in a sports injury, it’s an emergency. If you have the lost tooth, it can sometimes be re-implanted within an hour of the injury. Otherwise, the dentist will assess the damage, stop the bleeding & help with pain, and then arrange a new appointment to discuss replacement options.
A Cracked or Broken Tooth
If you’ve had a fall where you hit your mouth, you likely won’t lose a tooth but you could break or crack one. This is a dental emergency because the dentist will need to check the most sensitive inner layers have not been exposed by the break. They will also help with pain relief but likely won’t be able to fix the tooth until the swelling has gone down.
Severe Toothache
If you have mild toothache which can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers it’s not an emergency but you should make a regular appointment to determine the cause. However, severe toothache which over-the-counter painkillers don’t ease is usually a sign of infection, abscess, or decay so you’ll need an emergency appointment to check. Infections will need treated with antibiotics to make sure they don’t become worse or spread to other parts of the body and abscesses will need to be drained to relieve the pressure.
Abscess or Infection
Abscesses are pockets of pus that form due to bacterial infection. They can cause significant pain, swelling, and fever. Symptoms of an abscess include a swollen, painful bump on the gums, a bad taste in the mouth, and general discomfort.
Gum Damage & Bleeding
Cuts to the gums can be caused by trauma such as falling onto a sharp object. If the injury is significant or the bleeding doesn’t stop after applying pressure, it’s best to seek immediate care. The dentist will assess the cuts and see if you need stitches.
Lost Fillings, Crowns, or Braces
Dental restorations like fillings and crowns, or corrective work like braces are common. They’re fitted securely at the time but there’s always a risk of them coming loose or breaking. This is not always an emergency but if your exposed tooth under your filling or crown is painful or sensitive it’s best to contact your dentist to make sure the inner layers of your tooth haven’t been exposed as this could cause decay and the need for more invasive treatment. With braces, loose or broken wires aren’t always an emergency either but if they’re causing significant pain or have caused a cut to your gums or other soft tissue in your mouth then it’s best to see your dental team to prevent infection.
What to Do Until You See the Dentist
Once you’ve made your dental emergency appointment and you’re waiting to see the dentist if you have significant pain try some over-the-counter painkillers to take the edge off but make sure you tell the team what you’ve taken when you get there so there’s no medication interactions. If you have signs of an abscess, do not try to pop it as this could cause more problems, but a warm salt rinse could reduce some of your swelling and pain. If your tooth has been knocked out, rinse it gently and place it in milk or saline solution to keep it clean and healthy to attempt replanting it. If your broken braces wire is causing pain, wrapping it with some dental wax could ease the irritation until you see the dentist.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
Not all emergencies can be prevented but there are a few ways to reduce your risk. If you’re playing contact sports always wear a custom mouthguard to protect your teeth. Avoid chewing on ice or other hard foods if you have restorative work as this could cause them to loosen. Finally, always practice good oral hygiene and attend regular check-ups to catch any issues early on before they develop into an emergency.
At Dental @ Niddrie, our friendly team can help whether it’s an emergency or routine and it’s all from our patient-centred clinic. Read more about what sets us apart here.
