WHAT QUALIFIES AS DENTAL EMERGENCIES?

Apr 7
02:00

2022

Nancy Whitman

Nancy Whitman

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For most people, visiting a dental clinic is not something they consider necessary or an emergency. The reason is that most people only visit their dentist until the pain becomes unbearable. To avoid finding yourself in a tough spot, you should visit your dentist regularly to know the condition of your teeth before the situation gets out of hand.

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What is a dental emergency?

As stated earlier,WHAT QUALIFIES AS DENTAL EMERGENCIES? Articles it is not every dental treatment that gets the status of an emergency dental. In the real sense, a dental emergency is any dental treatment that involves gum and teeth. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where drug prescription for teeth and gum treatment is no longer effective, it implies that the situation requires a dentist's urgent attention. The reason teeth and gum treatment is regarded as a dental emergency is that the pain does not affect the teeth or gum only. Instead, the agony is felt across every other part of the body, especially organs within the mouth region.

What are the examples of dental emergencies?

A dental emergency can be the following:

  • Unexplained tooth loss
  • Severe toothaches
  • When you fracture your teeth
  • Knocked-out teeth
  • Lodged items in the teeth
  • Gum injuries
  • Gum or cavity disease

How to detect a dental emergency

A dental emergency can take any shape, and sometimes this situation can be a bit confusing. Most patients often get confused on whether to visit a dental clinic or stick to the drugs given to them at the pharmacy. One of the signs you need to decide whether you need a dentist's attention or not is the level of the pain. Some pain can be seasonal and caused by what you eat during breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Sometimes the pain can be a result of fractured teeth. Whenever you feel severe pain consistently over time, that is a red flag that you need a dentist's attention, especially when the pain becomes unbearable.

Dental emergencies, what should you do?

Accidents or injuries to the teeth can happen when you participate in sporting events or when you slip off the floor. However, when these accidents happen, you should respond to the situation on time. So, the first thing you should do is to contact your dentist to report the situation. If the level of injury is terrible, you can request an ambulance service to get the best treatment from first aid attention even before getting to the clinic. However, if the injury is minimal, drive yourself down to the clinic or hire a cab straight to the clinic for immediate dental attention.

What if a dentist or dental clinic is not nearby?

Now, this is a different ball game entirely. If you are far away from a dental clinic or you can't access your dentist, here is a tip on what you should do:

  • If a foreign object is lodged in your teeth socket

The best thing to do here is to apply dental floss. However, ensure you are careful not to cause additional injury to your gum. Dental floss will minimize the impact of the object till you get a dental care treatment.

  • Fractured teeth

Rinse your mouth carefully with water to clean out the blood and also to reduce swelling and pain. After that, you should contact your dentist immediately.

  • Knockout teeth

This is a painful situation. So, the first thing you do is that you have to block your sink so the knockout tooth does not flush down the sink. Secondly, rinse the tooth properly. Finally, place the tooth in a cup of milk and then head out to your dentist as quickly as you can.

Final thought

Oral care should not be handled with levity, especially in dental emergencies. Although there are situations you can control or cure using drugs, some require a lot more attention. However, when the pain becomes severe and unbearable, that is a red flag, and seeking dental care from a dentist is the best way to go.