When we think of emergencies, we often imagine life-threatening situations like heart attacks or car accidents. However, dental emergencies are just as significant and require urgent care and treatment, even if they are not as dramatic. If you are experiencing tooth pain, have a broken tooth, or any other dental urgency, please contact Kooringal Dental at (02) 6922 6840.
Ignoring a dental emergency can lead to severe pain, long-term or permanent damage, and the need for more complex and expensive dental procedures in the future. So, what exactly constitutes a dental emergency, and which ones are the most common? Find out more in our guide to dental emergencies.
What is Classed as a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is one that requires immediate attention from a trained dental professional.
Dental emergencies usually involve one or more of the following symptoms:
- Severe Pain: If you’re experiencing severe or unbearable pain in your tooth or gums, it’s important to visit an emergency dentist as soon as possible. Pain generally acts as a signal that something is wrong and requires urgent care from a dentist.
- Trauma: Immediate emergency dental care is necessary for cracked, chipped, or knocked-out teeth in order to save the tooth and prevent further damage.
- Excessive bleeding: Any kind of excessive or uncontrollable bleeding in the mouth should be addressed immediately through emergency dental services.
- Swelling or abscess: Significant swelling in the mouth or face can indicate the presence of an abscess or severe infection, especially when accompanied by extreme pain or fever. This is classed as a dental emergency that needs immediate attention.
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing: Though less common, any dental problem that impairs your breathing or swallowing is a critical emergency that needs urgent dental services.
When Does Tooth Decay Become an Emergency?
If you’re wondering whether tooth decay is considered a dental emergency, it’s important to know that in its early stages, it usually doesn’t require emergency dental services. Instead, it can often be treated during regular dental visits with fillings or other treatments. However, if tooth decay leads to symptoms such as severe pain, an abscess, or an infection, it becomes a serious dental emergency that requires immediate attention from an emergency dentist.
The Most Common Types of Emergency Dental Situations
Toothache
Experiencing a toothache can be excruciating, requiring urgent dental attention. The causes of toothache can vary, from cavities or abscesses to impacted teeth, so it’s crucial to seek immediate assistance from your dentist to diagnose the root of your pain.
If you’re seeking relief for unbearable tooth pain, temporary measures such as using a cold compress on the affected area, taking over-the-counter pain medication, and rinsing your mouth with warm salt water can provide some relief. However, it’s important to note that these remedies cannot replace professional emergency dental services.
A Broken or Cracked Tooth
Sometimes, a broken or cracked tooth may be considered a dental emergency that requires urgent care. The severity of the break or crack will determine the urgency of the treatment needed. Immediate attention may be necessary to prevent further damage and ultimately save the tooth.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is one of the most serious dental emergencies you can face – and emergency dental care is crucial.
If you still have the tooth, hold it by the crown and gently rinse off any dirt. If possible, place the tooth back in its socket with care; if this isn’t feasible, place the tooth in a glass of milk, which will help to preserve it, and seek emergency dental services immediately.
A Lost Filling or Crown
While a lost filling or dental crown may not be as painful as some other dental emergencies, this situation can expose the tooth to potential damage and decay.
For this reason, it’s important to treat a lost filling or crown as a dental emergency and seek care as soon as possible.
An Abscess
An abscess is a severe infection that occurs around a tooth’s root or in the space between the teeth and gums. Symptoms of an abscess may include fever, pain, tooth sensitivity, and swollen lymph nodes.
Abscesses require immediate emergency dental services to prevent the spread of infection.
Oral Infections
If you experience severe swelling in your face or mouth, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or intense pain, it could be a sign of a severe oral infection that needs immediate emergency dental care. It’s important to seek emergency dental services as soon as possible if you suspect you have an oral infection.
Excessive Bleeding
Whether the bleeding is due to recent dental surgery, an injury, or an unknown reason, uncontrolled or excessive bleeding is a sign that emergency dental services are required to prevent the bleeding and identify the exact cause.
How Soon Should You Seek Emergency Dental Services Near You?
When facing a dental emergency, it’s crucial to act fast. For instance, if you have a knocked-out tooth, it’s best to get urgent dental services within 30 minutes to an hour.
In the case of severe toothache or abscess, it’s important to seek emergency dental services as soon as possible, ideally on the same day.
Dental emergencies demand immediate attention from a dental expert. Knowing what constitutes a dental emergency can help you take swift action, minimizing any further harm.
If you experience any of the emergencies we’ve discussed in this article, contact Kooringal Dental immediately so we can help you arrange emergency dental services on the same day.
