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Let’s face it! We all ignore our health sometimes, believing it won’t do any harm and get better on their own after a while. This is especially true in the case of dental issues. We tend to ignore them until they actually become serious. If you don’t want to end up in a worse situation, it’s very important to be informed of the dental emergencies. In this blog post, we have written about the top dental emergencies that you should not ignore at any cost.
Understanding Dental Emergencies
A dental emergency is an oral injury that may require immediate treatment from a dentist to prevent further complications, such as a broken jaw, a large abscess, or a fracture in the jaw. In the below sections we will talk about the dental emergencies that require immediate dental care. Get to know what those conditions are, how to identify them and what to do about your situation.
Knocked out tooth
When your tooth gets hit, it falls out of the socket or starts to bleed; you have to go to the dentist, ideally within 30 minutes, to save your tooth. Here are some signs to look out for:
If you have developed a visible crack or break in the tooth.
- Pain when you chew or bite
- Sensitivity to cold, sweet or hot
- You have sharp edges on the broken tooth
Here is how to perform first aid when you have your tooth knocked out:
1. Find the tooth, handle it by crown (not the root)
2. Gently rinse the tooth with water without scrubbing it.
3. Try to replant it.
4. If you are not able to replant it, store it in milk or saliva to keep it moist.
Note: When handling a knocked-out tooth, avoid touching the root, as this can damage the delicate tissues needed for replanting.
Severe Toothache
When you have strong pain that keeps you up all night or makes it difficult to focus on anything, you should think about consulting your dentist right away. There are some other signs to look for as well. For exampl,e if it is accompanied by swelling in your face or jaw. Generally, you will also develop fever and pain when biting down, along with the sensitivity to extreme temperatures.
Here is the first aid that you need to perform for such a case:
1. Rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water. This can help you dislodge any food particles that may be stuck inside the tooth.
2. You can gently gloss the affected area to remove any trapped food.
3. Taking the over-the-counter pain medication can help alleviate the pain.
4. Apply a cold compress to the cheek where your tooth is hurting. This can reduce swelling and numbness.
Here are some reasons why you should not ignore the tooth pain:
1. It often indicates a serious problem. It can be a sign of a deep cavity, an infection, an abscess or even a cracked tooth.
2. If tooth pain is caused by an infection, ignoring it can spread the infection to other parts as well.
3. It can indicate gum disease or tooth decay. Ignoring losing a tooth can cause tooth loss.
Cracked or Broken Tooth
When you have visible cracks or breaks, pain when chewing, sensitivity to temperature, and sharp edges, you need immediate dental care.
Here is the first aid you need to perform if you have a cracked or broken tooth:
- Rinse mouth with warm water.
- Apply a cold compress to the cheek.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication.
- See a dentist as soon as possible, especially if the tooth is painful or sharp.
On the other hand, you hand if you have a broken tooth, there will be a hole or rough area where the filling/crown was, sensitivity to temperature, and pain when chewing.
In this case, you need to perform these steps as first aid:
- Try to replace the filling/crown if you can.
- If not, cover the area with sugarless gum or dental wax.
- See a dentist as soon as possible to prevent further damage.
Dental Abscess
If you have a dental abscess, you will have a painful, swollen bump on the gums, throbbing pain, fever, a bad taste in the mouth, swollen face or jaw.
The First Aid you need for this case:
Rinse mouth with warm salt water.
- Apply a cold compress to the cheek.
- Do not try to pop the abscess yourself.
- See a dentist immediately. Abscesses are serious infections that need professional treatment.
Bleeding Gums
The typical signs of this condition are your gums bleeding when brushing or flossing, swollen or red gums and bad breath. To improve your condition, you need to apply gentle pressure to the bleeding area with a gauze pad. Then, you need to rinse your mouth with warm salt water. You need to see your dentist as soon as possible. Bleeding gums can be a sign of gum disease.
Swollen Jaw or Face
If you have Swelling in the jaw or cheek, pain, difficulty opening your mouth, or fever, that is also an emergency case.
To alleviate the pain, here is what you need to do:
- Apply a cold compress to the swollen area.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication.
- See a dentist immediately, as this can indicate a serious infection.
Difficulty Opening Your Mouth
Do you have a limited range of motion in the jaw, pain when opening or closing, and clicking or popping sounds? If yes, then you should see a dentist if your problem persists or worsens over time, as it could be a sign of TMJ disorder. Emergency Dental Clinics can help you alleaviate the pain.
Follow these steps if you have been suffering from this condition:
- Try gentle jaw exercises.
- Apply moist heat to the jaw muscles.
- Avoid chewing gum or hard foods.
Wrapping Up
It is very important to always see a dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment of any dental emergency. The first aid tips given in this blog post are for temporary relief until you can get professional help. See emergency medical attention from reputed emergency dental services Toronto if you have any signs of a serious infection (fever, swelling, difficulty breathing).
