What to do in a Dental Emergency?

The best way to reduce your risk of experiencing dental issues is to practice proper oral hygiene, including brushing twice daily, flossing at least once, and visiting the dentist every 6 months for an exam and cleaning. However, no matter how vigilant you are with these practices, a dental emergency can occur at any time.

Wondering What to do in a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is an issue that occurs without warning and requires immediate attention. Dental emergencies are often characterized by severe pain, bleeding, and or swelling. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to contact Ammons Dental by Design as soon as possible for an emergency dental appointment. When you experience a dental emergency, it is important to seek treatment as early as possible to prevent the problem for escalating. If left untreated, an infection may spread to other areas of your body, causing significant health issues. When you visit the dentist for an emergency, the first thing we will do is get your pain under control. Then, we will proceed with an examination, which will be focused on determining the cause of the dental problem. Once we determine the cause, we can explain your options and proceed with treatment.

Common Dental Emergencies and What to Do About Them

When you experience a dental emergency, it is important to seek treatment as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, sometimes you may be waiting for several hours. Below, we’ll explain some of the most common dental emergencies we see at Ammons Dental by Design and how you can manage your pain/discomfort until you are able to see a dentist.

• Severe Toothache

  When you have a severe toothache, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. If there is food lodged between your teeth, carefully remove it with dental floss. You can use a cold compress to relieve swelling and an OTC pain reliever to manage pain until you can see the dentist.   In some cases, a severe toothache may be accompanied by an abscess, which is when an infection triggers a pimple/boil on the gum at the tooth. This pimple/boil is filled with pus.

• Fractured tooth

  Teeth may fracture due to poor oral hygiene habits or trauma. If you have bleeding and severe pain, you may need to visit the dentist as soon as possible. If your tooth is broken but you have no pain or bleeding, you may be able to wait until the first available appointment.

• Broken braces

  If you break your orthodontic appliance, place some wax on the broken wire/bracket and contact the dentist as soon as possible. We can repair the damage to keep your braces working as they should.

• Swelling of jaw

  If your jaw is swollen, you may have an infection. If the swelling is accompanied by a fever, a foul taste, and/or difficulty breathing/swallowing, you should seek emergency treatment.

• Bleeding gums

  If your gums bleed occasionally after brushing/flossing, it does need to be addressed but it may not necessarily be a dental emergency. However, if this happens consistently, you need to seek treatment right away. This could indicate that you have gum disease or possibly underlying health issues such as diabetes or heart disease.

• Knocked-out tooth

  If your tooth is knocked out for any reason, it’s important to seek immediate treatment. If you bring the tooth with you and we address it within 30 minutes, we may be able to save the tooth. If not, we can explore restorative treatments such as dental implants.

Dental Emergency FAQs

We get a lot of questions about dental emergencies at Ammons Dental by Design. Below are answers to some of the most common questions we hear.

• What counts as a dental emergency?

  A dental emergency is characterized by severe pain, swelling, and/or uncontrollable bleeding.

• What should I do if I have a tooth knocked out?

  If you have a tooth knocked out, try to recover the tooth if possible. Pick it up by the crown- avoid touching the root. If possible, try to insert it back into the socket. If not, try to tuck it between your cheek and gum or place it in a container with a small amount of milk. If you are able to get to the office within 30 minutes, we may be able to save the tooth.

• What should I do if I have a severe toothache?

  If you have a severe toothache, contact the dentist as soon as possible. You can explain your symptoms and we can determine if you are in an emergency situation or if you can wait until the first available appointment.

• What should I do if I break my braces?

  If you break your braces, apply some wax to the broken piece to prevent it from scratching the inside of your mouth. Then, contact the dentist as soon as possible so that we can get you in to repair the appliance.

• Can I go to the emergency room for a dental emergency?

  You can go to the emergency room for a dental emergency, however in most cases, they won’t be able to do much for you beyond giving you something for pain. In order to resolve your dental issue, you’ll need to see an emergency dentist.

• Will I need to have a tooth extracted in a dental emergency?

  We strive to save the natural tooth when possible. However, there are some situations in which extraction is necessary.

• How can I prevent dental emergencies from happening?

  While you can reduce your risk of experiencing a dental emergency by practicing proper oral hygiene habits, there is no way to 100% prevent them. Dental emergencies can happen no matter how well you care for your teeth- but emergency dental care can help you get your symptoms and condition under control so that you don’t have to worry about the problem escalating.

Do You Need Emergency Dental Care?

If you have dental pain accompanied by swelling and/or uncontrollable bleeding, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. If left untreated, problems such as infection may spread to other parts of your body. While you can’t 100% prevent dental emergencies, you can reduce your risk by practicing proper oral hygiene and visiting the dentist every 6 months. During your visits, the dentist will examine your mouth to determine if you have any issues that may cause problems in the future. If you do have a dental emergency, Ammons Dental by Design has four offices to serve you: Downtown Charleston, James Island, Summerville, and Camden. Schedule your preventative appointment today to reduce your risk of a dental emergency.