7 Common Dental Emergencies & How to Handle Them

What is a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency refers to any oral problem that needs immediate attention from a dental practitioner, which, if left untreated, can lead to more damage. Although not all dental issues are classified as oral emergencies, it is always important to visit our dentist in Kingwood whenever you have oral issues that result in nonstop pain or bleeding. This usually facilitates early problem-management strategies to prevent further damage.

What are the Common Dental Emergencies?

Here are some of the common oral emergencies addressed by our emergency dentist in Kingwood. They include:

1) Severe Toothache

A spontaneous toothache is usually an indication of decay, or that something is wrong within that tooth structure or the surrounding tissue. Although it is possible to manage some toothaches without necessitating emergency treatment, if you notice signs like swelling, you will have to seek urgent attention from a dentist.

2) Knocked-out Teeth

Having one or several teeth knocked out is an oral emergency. In most scenarios, this usually happens when you sustain severe oral trauma coming from either a fall, automobile accident or a blow in the jaw. If you act quickly by saving the knocked-out tooth and seeking emergency dental services, then your dentist may be able to reimplant the tooth.

3) Broken, Chipped, or Cracked Tooth

You can break, chip, or crack your tooth by biting too hard foods and candy or by suffering oral trauma from a sudden fall or contact sports. If you happen to crack your tooth, try to collect all the pieces that have fallen off and visit Houston Oral Healthcare Specialists for restoration.

4) Lost Crown or Filling

Tooth fillings and dental crowns are used by dentists to restore the function and appearance of decayed or damaged teeth. So, should you break or lose a crown or a filling, you will need to visit our dentist in Kingwood, TX, and have them replaced to avoid the possibility of reinfection or further tooth damage.

5) Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a pimple-like infection or a swollen area that occurs in the spaces between your gums and teeth or at your tooth’s root. An abscess needs immediate medical attention as it risks damaging surrounding teeth and oral tissue. When left untreated, there is a high chance that the infection can spread to other sites in your body or cause swelling of the jaw or face.

6) Broken Orthodontics

Traditional braces are used to straighten misaligned teeth. The braces come with metal brackets and wires to enable them to withstand the wear and tear from eating, chewing, and talking. Unfortunately, sometimes the metal wires or brackets may break and stick out, poking your gums and cheeks. This can reverse or slow down the teeth straightening process and also cause discomfort in your mouth hence the reason why it’s classified as an oral emergency.

7) Pain and Bleeding Following a Dental Extraction Procedure

Although it is quite normal to feel some pain and experience some bleeding after a tooth extraction, call your dental practitioner if the pain and bleeding persist after an hour.

How to Manage Common Oral Emergencies?

Here are some management tips for common dental emergencies:

• Toothache: Book an oral appointment and as you wait, rinse your mouth with salt water and apply a cold compress on your cheek.
• Broken Orthodontics: Push the metal wire in a comfortable position without cutting the wire, cover the exposed part with a cotton ball, and call an orthodontist.
• Dental Abscess: Visit your dentist as soon as possible and use saltwater to rinse your mouth several times a day to help draw the pus out to the surface.
• Broken/Chipped Tooth: Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water, try to preserve all the fragments, stop the bleeding with a clean gauze pad, and schedule an emergency appointment.
• Knocked-out Tooth: Collect the tooth, rinse it gently without holding the roots, preserve it in a glass with milk, and visit a dental office ASAP.
• Pain and Bleeding After an Extraction: Minimize the bleeding by placing a clean piece of a gauze pad and applying gentle pressure on it by biting down. Consult a dentist to determine the cause of the bleeding.

Visit an Emergency Dentist Near You

Oral emergencies are usually a common experience in adults and children, and the severity of the condition is dependent on the causative factor. Irrespective of the cause of your dental emergency, it is important to visit an emergency dentist near you right away because delaying treatment can lead to tooth loss or severe complications. Contact Houston Oral Healthcare Specialists to get emergency dental services near Humble, TX!