Reasons You May Need Emergency Dental Care
A dental emergency can happen at any time, so it’s essential that you know what it is, recognize symptoms, and know what to do if a dental emergency happens to you. This blog discusses the most common dental emergencies and offers tips on how best to address them.
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A dental emergency can happen at any time, so it’s essential that you know what constitutes a dental emergency, what symptoms to look for, and what to do if you have a dental issue that requires immediate care. Below, we delve into the most common dental emergencies and give tips on recognizing and addressing them.
What If I Have Broken, Chipped, or Knocked Out Teeth?
Mouth injuries that impact your smile (no pun intended) can happen anywhere and at any time. From a ball to the face during a sports practice to biting down the wrong way on something crunchy to experiencing an accident due to a sudden fall, damaging or losing a tooth is always a dental emergency. If you knock out a permanent tooth, time is of the essence. Besides getting to the dentist as soon as possible, here is what to do if you lose a permanent tooth:
- Pick the tooth up crown first – DO NOT touch the root.
- Gently rinse the tooth with water only.
- If you can, try to put the tooth back into the socket—but don’t force it. If it goes in easily, carefully hold it in place.
- If you can’t get the tooth back into the socket, keep it moist by putting it in a glass of milk (do not put it in water).
Ideally, your dentist has the best chance of restoring your tooth if you get treated within two hours of the injury. But sooner is better than later, so don’t delay your trip to the emergency dentist.
What If I Have Swelling in My Mouth or Jaw?
If your face suddenly begins to swell for no apparent reason, you may have a dental emergency. Swelling in your face can be caused by several things, like swollen lymph nodes or an infection in your mouth. The swelling is often accompanied by pain, so even if the swelling is something that can wait until regular office hours, the pain will likely make you want to seek immediate treatment.
What If I Have an Infected or Abscessed Tooth?
In some cases, you might not even know you have an infection or an abscess affecting your tooth. You might just think you have a terrible toothache; lots of pain makes it hard to eat, drink, and even talk. Signs of an abscessed tooth include pain, fever, facial swelling, or what looks like a pimple on your gums near the affected tooth. An abscessed or infected tooth is extremely serious. The infection could spread to your gums or other teeth and even get into the bone of your jaw. Left untreated, an abscessed tooth could pose a life-threatening risk.
What If I Have a Lost or Damaged Filling or Crown?
While it may seem like losing a filling isn’t a big dental emergency, it is. Without the filling, your tooth is left vulnerable to cracking or breaking, and exposed nerves may cause you pain.
If you have a crown that cracks, breaks, or falls out completely, this is also a dental emergency. Besides the pain associated with the exposed tooth, losing a crown can put your tooth at risk of infection. If left untreated, you may end up needing a root canal or even an extraction.
What If I Have Sudden Tooth Pain With No Explanation?
If your tooth begins hurting suddenly without a known reason (like facial trauma or a pre-existing dental problem), there is probably something wrong with the tooth, its root, or the gums around it. In some cases, it may be the result of an exposed nerve. Seeing an emergency dentist immediately can not only help ease your discomfort and prevent infection but can also prevent further damage to the tooth or nerve that will require more extensive dental interventions.
Why Should I Learn More About Emergency Dentists in Schaumburg and Norridge?
At Royal Dental Care, our priority is always our patients. If you experience a dental emergency, call us immediately, and we’ll get you into the office for treatment. You can trust the highly skilled dentists at Royal Dental Care to care for you in the kindest way possible, doing their best to preserve your teeth, whether in a dental emergency or at your regular checkup. Call our office today at (773) 232-3929 (Norridge) or (847) 999-7620 (Schaumburg) to set up an appointment or complete the online contact form. And, keep our phone number handy in case you experience a dental emergency and need expert care.