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Writer's pictureFlorence Fletcher

The Ten Most Common Dental Emergencies and First Aid





Being prepared for a dental emergency is essential if you want to save your teeth for a longer time. Knowing what action to take during a dental emergency can help prevent dental emergencies from growing out into something worse, especially in the case of bleeding or swelling. There are many common cases of dental emergencies that keep dentists busy. In many cases, prompt attention provided by dentists can bring you back to normal as soon as possible. However, if a dental emergency happens, it helps that you are not uninformed about which action to take.


Infection

Let us start with something that could cause the most severe trouble. Infection is an indication that something is wrong inside your body that needs prompt attention. Leaving it unattended, or taking improper action, could turn your case of infection into something life-threatening. Call your dentist immediately in the event of an infection.


Mouth Injury

An accident may cause several of your teeth to be knocked loose. Worse yet, you might have a broken jaw. Call your dentist after an accident. Ensure that they meet you in the emergency room. Take not to have your jaw checked if the ER personnel overlook it. Your dentist will take the necessary steps to save you from losing your loose teeth.


Knocked-Out Tooth

An accident could also cause one or a few of your teeth to be knocked out. Don’t worry. A dentist can put it back in its socket without adverse effects if they work on it within 30 minutes of being knocked out. You may put your tooth back in its socket if you align it properly. Make sure that you don’t pick your tooth upon the roots. If you opt not to put your tooth back in its socket, keep it moist by placing it in a glass of milk or placing it carefully between your teeth and gums until a dentist works on your knocked-out tooth.


Pain

Pain has many causes. In the case of slight discomfort, you may take an over-the-counter pain reliever to spare you the inconvenience of sleepless nights. However, the underlying cause for intense pain could be something more serious such as an infection. In this case, you need to call your dentist immediately to check what causes the pain and to take appropriate action as soon as possible.


Sensitive Teeth

Sensitive teeth are rarely severe. However, the sharp pain you experience when biting into something cold or drinking a hot beverage is inconvenient. You may take note of your sensitive teeth once you visit your dentist. In the meantime, you can use toothpaste meant for sharp teeth.


Mouth Sores

Mouth sores are caused by various diseases such as canker sores or foot-and-mouth disease, among others. You can take home remedies such as gargling hydrogen peroxide to kill off most bacteria causing your mouth sores. However, if you don’t detect improvement despite taking this remedy for days, call your dentist to help you cure your mouth sores.


Swelling

Swelling is something that you can’t ignore. Swelling could be a sign of an infection. However, in any case, you need to have a dentist look into your case of swelling immediately. Leaving it unattended could result in something more serious. In the case of an infection, it could spread if a qualified professional don’t look into it. Always stay upright and prevent lying down before your dental appointment. In the meantime, take plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.


Bleeding

Bleeding can be a tell-tale sign of severe gum disease or cancer case. Like swelling, a matter of bleeding is something you shouldn’t ignore. If you see blood on your floss, call your dentist immediately.


Gum Abscess

A gum abscess could be an indication of a gum or tooth infection. A gum abscess resembles a pimple. However, it would help if you didn’t attempt to pop it out to prevent the risk of spreading bacteria throughout your mouth. A dentist can only make the proper disposition because it may require a root canal or an extraction in the case of an infected tooth. In the meantime, you may need to brush and floss regularly before you make your dental appointment.


Broken Teeth

Regardless of the extent of the damage, a broken tooth will worsen if unattended. You may put off a dental visit if you have a minor chip. However, for substantial breakage, you need to call your dentist immediately for them to take the necessary action to save your broken tooth from breaking further.


Takeaways

Dental emergencies are something that you need to prepare for. Knowing the appropriate actions is necessary to help keep all of your teeth for a longer time or spare you the inconvenience of having to feel pain in your mouth for extended periods. Practicing good oral hygiene (click here) can help prevent many cases of dental emergencies.


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