Are you experiencing a dental emergency but you are not sure what to do? Should you see an emergency dentist right away or it can wait after the weekend? Can the damage be permanent? In today’s blog post your Surrey dentist is going to describe the most common dental emergency situations and how to handle them to minimize the tooth damage.
Basic facts about dental emergency
You risk breaking your teeth while performing common daily activities such as eating, exercising or doing sports. That is why you should be familiar with the most common emergency injuries and know how to handle them to prevent the permanent tooth damage or lost. Waiting too long or ignoring emergency symptoms might result in serious problems and consequently more expensive treatment from your dentist (What to consider while looking for a new dentist in Surrey) later on.
Intense pain is usually one of the main reasons why people decide to contact an emergency dentist. However, you should not ignore any tooth or gum injury even if it seems minor at the first glance. The nerves can be also damaged and it can cause an infection that can spread to your neck if not treated properly.
So how do I know if it is an emergency? The simple rule says: if it hurts and it prevents you from daily activities such as eating, working or sleeping, it is an emergency and therefore should not be neglected. In addition, fast treatment increases the odds of saving the damaged tooth and it can save you from more expensive treatments such as dental implants later on. If you are in Surrey, and you are looking for a Surrey emergency dentist – Green Apple Dental is here to help! We accommodate most of the emergencies on the same day and our Surrey dentists have lots of experience in dealing with dental emergency cases.
How to avoid a dental emergency?
You can avoid the injuries by taking simple precautions such as wearing mouth-guards during sports, biting carefully and having your teeth checked regularly from your dentist in Surrey, BC to maintain healthy and strong teeth.
Even though taking precautions and being careful cannot not ensure that it will not happen to you, it can certainly minimize the risk of a dental emergency.
Here are the most common teeth and mouth injuries that require emergency dentist’s attention
Knocked out or Dislodged tooth
If your tooth has been knocked out, you should immediately call our office or attend the nearest emergency room. If the tooth has been removed from its socket, it still may be possible to save it if you act fast.
Try to put the knocked out tooth back in the socket and gently bit down on a gauze to hold it in the place. If it is not feasible, do not let the tooth dry and put it in the pocket of your cheek or place is in the glass of milk. Seek an emergency dentist immediately!
Cracked or Broken tooth
Depending on the level of damage a cracked or broken tooth may or may not require an immediate trip to a dental office. Put the hot water to your mouth to clean the area and place an ice-bag on your cheek to reduce the swelling. If the pain is sharp and it prevents you from eating or sleeping, call an emergency dentist immediately. If the tooth is broken and it is more of an aesthetic problem which is not accompanied by any severe pain, it might not require the same day appointment. However, you should call your dentist and schedule an appointment.
Tooth Pain
Mild pain, such as food sensitivity or dull aching can usually wait till next regularly scheduled appointment. However, intense and sharp pain might indicate a severe issue. In that case call a dental emergency office as soon as possible. In the meantime rinse your mouth with hot water. You can also use dental floss to remove any lodged food between your teeth. Do not put painkillers on the gum because it could burn the gum tissue!
Experiencing a dental emergency is a very uncomfortable situation but if handled immediately your tooth might be saved! If you are in need of an emergency dentist in Surrey, BC you can call Green Apple Dental at 604-597-1311 (our Fleetwood dental office) or at 604-503-1722 (our Newton dental office).
