What is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is essentially a situation involving the teeth, mouth, and gums that require immediate medical attention. There are many different types of dental emergencies and all require a different type and level of care, but knowing you have a reliable and independent dentist like you can call is important for when these unexpected emergencies happen. At Mountain View Dental we are quick at scheduling emergency appointments as soon as possible, because we know that dental pain and injuries don’t just go away on their own.
Types of Dental Emergencies
There are many different types of dental emergencies, such as the obvious broken teeth and other trauma. Mild sensitivity or a loose crown that can wait a few days for treatment is not considered an emergency, but other injuries such as severe pain, swelling and even bleeding that can get worse over time are.
Toothaches
Toothaches can be considered a dental emergency, especially if there is swelling and bleeding accompanying it. If your pain is severe, be sure to call your dentist immediately and try rinsing your mouth with warm water and using dental floss to make sure there is nothing lodging in your teeth causing the toothache. Cold compresses can also be applied to keep you comfortable until you can be seen by the dentist.
Knocked-out Tooth
Having a tooth knocked out is definitely a dental emergency and requires being seen by a dentist immediately. Make sure you retrieve the tooth and call your dental office for further instructions. Since knocked out teeth have a higher chance of being saved when they are returned to the socket within an hour of being knocked out, our staff will be sure to schedule your emergency with one of our dentists as soon as possible.
Dislodged Tooth
Dislodged teeth are another type of dental emergency that requires medical attention as soon as possible, and can be very painful. Until you can be seen by a dentist, cold compresses and over the counter pain medication can be helpful in keeping you comfortable.
Broken Braces/ Loose Brackets
Broken braces and loose brackets are very common in patients with traditional braces, and can be very painful. These can also cause issues with your overall aligning treatment and therefore needs to be seen immediately by a dentist to ensure no further damage is done to your mouth or to your braces. Braces are expensive and need to be taken care of.
Abscess
Abscesses are infections in or around the root of a tooth or in the space between the tooth and gum. These are serious and should be taken care of immediately to prevent it from spreading to other areas of your mouth or both and causing more serious conditions. Abscesses can also cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums and therefore need to be treated as soon as they are spotted.
Chipped or Broken Teeth
Chipped and broken teeth are more likely to happen with weakened teeth and in patients with unhealthy dental habits, however they are very common in patients who have good dental hygiene and have healthy teeth as well. Until you can get into one of our doctors, be sure to save any pieces of the broken tooth and rinse your mouth out with warm water. If there is bleeding, applying cold compresses and gauze can help until the affected area can be treated.
Lost Filling
If you notice you have lost a filling, make sure you call our office immediately and get an appointment schedule with one of our doctors to fix your filling. As a temporary measure, you can use an over-the-counter dental cement to cover the cavity and prevent further sensitivity until you can be treated.
Lost Crown
If you have lost a crown, make an appointment with a dentist immediately and bring your crown with you so they can reattach it.
Soft-tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries can include the cheeks, gums, tongue, and lips and can result in bleeding. Until you can be seen by a dentist for your emergency, using a cold compress or gauze to relieve pain and control the swelling and bleeding.
How We Can Help
At Mountain View Dental we do not offer after hour dental appointments. However, if you are experiencing a dental emergency, give our office a call immediately and schedule an appointment and we will get you in to one of our doctors as soon as possible. Dental emergencies are given priority at our office and will be scheduled ahead of regularly scheduled appointments in order to get you seen and treated as soon as possible.
