Dental Emergency
If you read this article, there is a good chance that you or a loved one is facing a dental emergency. If this is the case, please know that we are sympathetic and that you have our full support in this painful ordeal. However, since actions are better than a long speech and our support will not be of much use to you, we have decided to explain everything you need to know to best manage this dental emergency and be quickly taken care of.
Table of Contents
What Is A Dental Emergency?
Having a toothache is anything but pleasant, and if we are all a little afraid of going to the dentist, we should not hesitate to do it when it is an emergency. You still have to know what constitutes a real dental emergency. It’s nothing like going to the dentist for aesthetic purposes such as improving your smile much as you would go to nail salons for a manicure. Let’s go for a little first-year dentist course. Are you ready?
There Are Generally Five Types Of Dental Emergencies:
- Pulpitis, which is more often called “toothache.” It is an inflammation of the dental pulp (blood vessels, nerves, etc.), resulting from different factors (untreated decay, high pressure, etc.). It must be taken care of urgently because it risks transforming into necrosis. That is, it can destroy your dental pulp and leave the field open for bacteria to attack the bone. An entire program
- Periodontal disease can win you a game of Scrabble, but it’s primarily an infection of the periodontium (the tissues that support your teeth). Loose teeth are usually the best way to spot it.
- Complications following tooth extraction (such as wisdom teeth) are also dental emergencies. Moderate bleeding is expected in the hours following such operations. However, if they persist or get stronger, you should not hesitate to contact your dentist.
- Infections following implant placement are also dental emergencies. Caused by poor dental hygiene, they are very painful and can damage your teeth.
- Finally, broken or loose teeth are dental emergencies since you must consult a dentist as soon as possible to hope to reimplant or re-weld your teeth. For this type of emergency, pain is usually sufficient to motivate the patient to consult.
In all these cases, without exception, you must go to a dentist as soon as possible. Whether it is to stop unbearable pain or to save your teeth (broken or loose tooth), emergency care is imperative.
Treating A Dental Emergency At Your Dentist
When you are faced with a dental emergency, your first instinct is often to call your referring dentist. It’s a good reflex. Your family dentist knows your history, which makes your care more accessible. Better, you trust him and are more reassured in his presence. If he answers you and can take you urgently, that’s great. You are off the hook! Otherwise, if he does not respond or refuses to take care of you for lack of time, things get complicated.
In addition, dentists know how to protect their patients from infections and cross-contamination. One of their ways to protect their patients is by wearing disposable nitrile gloves. Most dental offices choose from Primo’s nitrile glove selection with their wide range of colors which can help dentists to easily know if there are punctures and ensure protection for both the patient and dentist from chemicals and solvents.
Know that dentists have obligations towards their patients and must, in particular, “assist a patient in distress.” This “distress” refers to the dental emergencies that we detailed earlier in this article. Legally, your dentist must therefore take care of you when you face one of these emergencies. However, in an emergency, you don’t have time to recite homework for your dentist. If he refuses to take care of you, you need to hurry and find another way to treat your dental emergency as quickly as possible.
How To Prevent Dental Emergencies
Still, prevention is better than cure. Experiencing a dental emergency can be traumatic, and you wouldn’t want to feel the intense pain and the stress of handling this situation financially. Thus, here are some tips on how to prevent dental emergencies.
- Schedule biannual checkups with your dentist. It’s essential to visit your dentist’s office every six months as routine checkups help your dentist see if there are troublesome areas that will cause more serious problems. That way, preventive measures will be performed, and your oral health will be monitored.
- Maintain oral hygiene at home. Dental emergency prevention always starts at home, so make sure that you brush your teeth, at least, twice a day using a soft-brushed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for two minutes. Flossing, at least, once a day is also important to remove the plaque that was missed by your toothbrush.
- Watch what you eat. The bacteria naturally present in your mouth use sugar to produce acid by-products. Therefore, once you consume starchy, refined carbohydrates and sugary treats, the acidity level increases in your mouth, causing tooth decay. To prevent this from happening, consume a balanced diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products.