Dental Emergency

What is a dental emergency?

In Oral Health, Visiting the Dentist by Rother DentalLeave a Comment

Most people have a good understanding of when it’s time to get emergency treatment for medical conditions, but it can be less clear when it comes to your oral health. Knowing which symptoms justify a trip to the ER can help you avoid unnecessary trips.

Fractures:

By far the most commonplace dental emergency is a fracture of the tooth. Dental fractures occur when something impacts the tooth and commonly occurs as a result of contact sports. This can also occur following certain dental procedures like a root canal. If the chip in your tooth is slight, it’s usually fine to wait until your next doctor’s visit. However, if the fracture is causing severe pain or if shards from the fracture are causing issues inside your mouth. 

Knocked Out Tooth:

If instead your tooth is knocked out entirely, it’s important to seek care immediately as your dentist may be able to save your tooth. Attempt to put the tooth back in it’s place, lifting it by the side you chew with, and make sure it’s facing the right way. If you’re unable to put it back, placing it in milk can help to preserve it until you get to your dentist. 

Bleeding:

It’s also important to seek immediate care if you have bleeding in your mouth that doesn’t show signs of stopping. Bleeding in any part of your mouth isn’t normal and should be checked as soon as possible. 

Pain:

Extreme pain is another reason to get emergency help. If the pain you’re experiencing is interrupting normal activities, like sleep, and taking over the counter pain relievers isn’t helping, it’s important to seek care as quickly as possible. 

Infections:

Finally, if you experience an infection in your mouth, such as an abscess, this is a reason to get urgent dental care. An abscess may look like a pimple, but it’s important not to pop it. There are other infections if left untreated could cause breathing problems and spread to other parts of the body.

If you experience a dental emergency after hours, call us at Rother Dental and you’ll be connected with an on-call doctor to discuss the next steps with you. 

At Rother Dental, we want to help you if you have a dental emergency whether you are an existing patient of ours or a new patient.  If you need emergency dental services in the Mechanicsburg, PA area, contact us today for an appointment.

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