Oral Health: Understanding and Handling Common Dental Emergencies

Good dental health practices such as regular brushing, flossing and medical check-ups are crucial for oral wellness. However, even with diligence and care, dental emergencies can occur. These sudden problems can be attributed to underlying conditions, injury and other accidents. When this type of situation arises, you should handle the crisis with efficiency to prevent escalation. Here is a short discussion to help you understand common emergencies and suitable responses.

Cracked or Knocked Out Tooth

You should consult your emergency dentist if you receive significant impact on your lower face. This practice is crucial if there is damage to your teeth. If there are small cracks or chips, you should have them sealed to prevent infection of the pulp cavity and escalation of pain. If you cannot see a dentist immediately, rinse your mouth with warm salt water to keep your oral cavity clean. Also, do not touch the affected area to prevent irritation. If your tooth was knocked out, you should place it in its former position. Alternatively, call your dentist and ask about the best preservation measures.

Unusual Toothache 

Immediate dental care is essential if you are experiencing severe tooth pain. An emergency toothache can be debilitating and interfere with your normal activities. If you cannot get a dentist to examine and treat the problem immediately, you should rinse your mouth and floss lightly. Sometimes, the pain might be caused by something stuck in the gaps. If this does not work, you should use a compress to soothe the affected area and minimise inflammation. You can also use over-the-counter analgesic medication to alleviate the pain.

Loose Crown or Filling

If you have a loose filling or crown, you should be cautious about your oral habits. Exposing the affected tooth to high pressure by chewing pens and other hard objects could dislodge the material. In most cases, the damage to tooth filling or a crown is not an emergency situation. However, it can cause excruciating pain for some people. The removal of the covering will expose the sensitive parts of the dental structure to air, moisture and temperature fluctuations. Also, the open pulp cavity could become infected. If this is your case, you should consider using some painkillers for the pain. Additionally, if you will not be able to see the dentist for some time, you can purchase some dental cement for temporary repair.

Other dental problems which necessitate immediate medical attention include impacted wisdom teeth, dental abscess and broken braces.