What Is a Dental Emergency?
What Is a Dental Emergency?
When it comes to your oral health, knowing what constitutes a dental emergency is crucial. Our emergency dentist is here to provide essential dental care precisely when you need it most.
However, if you're unsure about what qualifies as an oral health emergency, this short article will help clarify things for you. We'll outline common dental emergencies and offer guidance on when it's crucial to seek immediate care to protect your dental health and overall well-being.
Dental Emergencies Explained
Some people may be surprised to learn about the concept of a dental emergency since it’s not like such issues are life-threatening.
While that’s true, dental emergencies threaten the viability of your teeth. These are the cases when patients are usually at risk of dealing with permanent tooth loss.
Moreover, emergency oral care can help patients dealing with severe discomfort experience relief. Many end up in these appointments because they are experiencing pain they cannot manage with at-home measures such as Ibuprofen or cold compresses.
Lastly, these emergencies are also designed to prevent complications. For example, a tooth infection may spread to other tissues nearby, but in extreme cases, it can also lead to sepsis.
Common Examples of Dental Emergencies
Some of the most common dental emergencies include:
- Dental pain
If you’re experiencing high levels of pain, then you most likely need to see an emergency dentist. Pain can be caused by several oral conditions, such as a large cavity or an infection, both of which require immediate dental care.
- Oral bleeding
Oral bleeding may be caused by direct trauma or by a sign of another condition, such as gum disease. If you experience bleeding that doesn’t go away in a few hours, it’s worth calling an emergency dentist to describe your symptoms.
- Tooth abscess
A tooth abscess is a pocket filled with harmful bacteria that forms as a result of an infection. They can be quite painful and need an emergency root canal or drainage to be treated.
- Broken dental prosthetic
A broken implant, crown, denture, or any other type of prosthetic may also be a sign of a dental emergency.
These help patients eat and speak normally, but in some cases they are also supposed to protect the natural teeth, like in the case of dental crowns, making it even more important to get them fixed as soon as possible.
- Broken orthodontics
If you have braces or clear aligners, you will need to see a dentist as soon as possible. In the case of braces, the wires can stick out and pose a risk for injury, in which case an emergency visit is crucial.
- Fractured or knocked-out tooth
Lastly, if your tooth gets knocked out or fractured, seeing an emergency dentist as soon as possible can help you avoid permanent loss.
Emergency Care at Sauk Trail Dental
Dr. Neal Rosenberg can help you deal with a dental emergency and restore your oral health whenever you need it.
Call us at (262) 284-7111 right away to describe your symptoms, or schedule a regular appointment at Sauk Trail Dental online.
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