If you experience a dental emergency, you do not need to panic. Most of the time, a person is afraid because of the pain, and it’s not so much a health emergency. You do need to be aware of what you should do if you face a dental emergency. It’s important to know when to contact your dentist in an emergency situation.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
Many times, a dental emergency is caused by a traumatic event or accident. Any situation in which you need an immediate treatment to save a tooth, stop bleeding or find relief for severe pain is considered to be a dental emergency. An abscess in the mouth, can be a severe infection and can be life-threatening. It needs to be dealt with immediately. In these extreme cases, if you cannot reach your dentist, then you need to go to a hospital emergency room to get treatment.
How do I contact my dentist in an emergency?
When you visit the dentist of your choice, one of the questions that should be asked is how to handle emergencies. Most dentists have a number that can be called if there is an emergency and if it is outside regular office hours. Save this number on your cell phone so it’s easy to find. You may also want to write the emergency number with all your other emergency numbers. Record it in a place where you will easily remember where to find it in case there is an emergent situation.
What if you don’t have a regular dentist?
There are available options if you have a dental emergency but you don’t have a regular dentist. If there is excessive bleeding, severe pain or a serious infection, you can go to the hospital emergency room for emergent care. This can be adequate until you can get in to see a dental professional. If you don’t have a regular dentist, you can do an online search to find one in your region. A quick search will yield dentists who offer emergency services along with the procedures for how to reach them and get your needs met in a timely fashion.
Ways to Avoid Accidents and Injuries to the Teeth
There are a few ways to help avoid a dental emergency. Here are the primary ways to help protect your teeth and keep you from needing an emergency dentist:
- When participating in sports and rigorous activities wear a mouthguard
- Avoid chewing substances like ice, hard candy and popcorn as they can chip or crack a tooth
- Don’t use your teeth to cut things – they are not scissors
It’s important to note that in most dental offices, the staff knows to leave some appointment slots open each day. This is to allow space and time for emergency or urgent dental situations when they occur. If you have an urgent matter, call your dentist right away and give them as much detail as you can about your condition.
