Experiencing a dental emergency can be incredibly traumatic. No matter what your age or whether you are the patient or not, dental trauma can be painful, sudden, and can cause panic. At Sage Dental Care, we are here for all of your dental emergencies, no matter what they are or when they happened. Not all dental emergencies are the same, however, and it may be good to know what types of dental emergencies require immediate attention.
A Traumatic Event
If you are a parent, you may be no stranger to a dental emergency. Kids have accidents all the time which can lead to a quick trip to the dentist. Whether your child plays a sport that makes them at increased risk for dental trauma (like baseball, hockey, or football), or your kid is prone to accidental falls from the playset or trampoline in the backyard, these may be some reasons to contact our office right away:
- Tooth Loss. If you or your child lost a tooth due to a sudden impact or fall, it may have caused blunt force trauma to the gums and surrounding teeth. Even if it was a baby tooth, having a dentist examine the area and ensure the accident did not affect other teeth or the adult teeth that are coming in behind it is wise.
- A Broken Tooth. Like a tooth loss, if an event caused the tooth to break, it is important to find the broken piece and preserve it as best as you can until you can see the dentist (which should be right away). In some cases, the dentist may be able to fix a broken tooth with the broken pieces. A tooth that has been cracked, chipped, or broken and is not treated will be highly susceptible to infection. So don’t wait – get into our office if this happens to you.
A Painful Situation
There may be instances of a dental emergency that are not caused by dental trauma. In fact, most dental emergencies happen because of inflammation, infection, and gum disease. If you wake up one morning and have a severe toothache, there is a chance that you may be in need of a root canal to eliminate the tooth infection before it spreads to other teeth. In extreme circumstances, ongoing tooth pain may make you a candidate for tooth extraction. Whatever the result, pain deserves dental attention right away so that the infection can be stopped.
Don’t Wait It Out
The most important thing about a dental emergency, whether it is due to a sudden trauma or a toothache is to not wait. Many people will try to ‘tough it out’ thinking that with some ice or salt water, things will improve. While those things can calm an infection or dull the pain, it will not fix the issue. If you are suffering from a dental emergency, schedule an appointment with our office right away!