Six Reasons to See an Emergency Dentist

It’s without a doubt that dental emergencies are stressful and overwhelming. Even with proper oral hygiene practices, you may still be faced with a serious dental issue. Having an emergency dentist ensures that you’re adequately prepared for such a situation.

An emergency dentist deals with emergency dental procedures and services. They should be easily accessible on call. To be safe, ensure you ask your emergency dentist about their availability.

For prompt emergency dental care, contact Belknap Dental Associates.

Types of Emergency Dental Symptoms

With so many dental problems, it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish which dental issues require immediate attention and which ones can wait. On certain occasions, ignoring a dental problem even for a few minutes can worsen the condition, resulting in severe complications.

For instance, if you want to restore a knocked-out tooth, you must see a dentist within two hours. Later than that, it may be impossible to keep your tooth. On the other, if you have a mild toothache or chipped dental bonding, you can use home remedies to get relief and see a dentist later.

So, how do you determine whether a dental issue is an emergency or not? Below are six dental problems that can be addressed in an emergency dental office.

• Knocked-out Tooth or Teeth

If your tooth is knocked out, either through an accident, game, or exercise, how fast you see your emergency dentist could be the difference between saving and losing your tooth. Experts recommend visiting a dentist within two hours. The sooner you see the dentist, the higher the chances of saving your tooth.

• Severe Toothache

If you’re experiencing a severe toothache, immediate dental care is necessary. In most cases, a severe toothache is accompanied by a headache, making the condition worse. The sooner you find help in such a situation, the quicker the relief. Besides getting relief, your dentist will examine your condition and offer any necessary treatment.

• Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums could indicate a severely damaged tooth, either due to gum disease, cavities, or infections. An emergency dentist could help you by removing or treating the infected tooth. In moderate cases of cavities, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy. However, if your tooth is severely damaged and beyond repair, tooth extraction may be necessary.

• Chipped or Broken Tooth

You may also want to see an emergency dentist for tooth repairs. While mild cases of a chipped or broken tooth can wait, it’s essential to see a dentist as soon as possible, especially if the damage is accompanied by pain or swelling.

The sharp edges from the tooth can cause further injuries to the surrounding oral structures, such as the gums and tongue. A damaged tooth can make it difficult to chew food correctly, cause sensitivity, and expose the tooth to infections.

• Damaged Cosmetic Restorations

You can also see an emergency dentist if your cosmetic restorations are damaged. An emergency dentist can repair dental restorations such as chipped dental bonding, damaged braces, broken dentures, and any broken restorations. Damage to a restoration can cause injury to the tooth, as well as the surrounding teeth, gums, and tongue.

• Swelling

A tooth infection or injury can cause swelling around the surrounding gums and cheeks. In most cases, tooth infections are treated with root canal therapy. The dentist will give you inflammatory medicines to calm the swelling.

If you have any other serious oral issues that you feel can’t wait for later treatment, you should see an emergency dentist.

Benefits of an Emergency Dentist

If you’re wondering how an emergency dentist can help with the issues above, here are a few reasons.

• Save time – If an emergency arises at odd hours, your help is just a call away. Therefore, you won’t have to wait or waste time finding a dentist.
• Timely treatment – With a specialist ready to help you through any emergencies, you can receive timely dental care and treatment at any time of the day.
• Prevent complications – If you’re unable to find the necessary treatment in time, certain dental conditions can worsen, leading to severe complications.

Call Our Office for Help

Getting timely treatment for dental emergencies is essential. If you need emergency dental care for any of these six reasons, contact Belknap Dental Associates today to schedule your appointment.