What To Know About A Dental Emergency

If the past few years have taught us nothing else, it is to be prepared for the unexpected. The state of your oral health is no different because there is always the possibility of experiencing a dental emergency. The likelihood of experiencing an emergency increases the longer you delay needed treatments or postpone routine hygiene examinations. Dental decay is unlike other medical conditions that may improve over time, worsening until the tooth eventually needs to be extracted and a tooth replacement option is needed.

What is a Dental Emergency?

It can be difficult at times to pinpoint a dental emergency because patients all have different levels of discomfort and no two patients will have the same experience. Discomfort in the mouth can be debilitating and can make it difficult to eat, speak and even sleep. Other patients may have an accident and experience oral trauma that needs to be examined immediately. We feel that it is better to be cautious and call our office with anything that concerns you. Our team can help determine if you need to be seen immediately, can schedule an appointment for the future, or if you need to head to an emergency room.

Types of Dental Emergencies

As we briefly mentioned above, no two patients will have the same dental experience. Every patient can handle different levels of discomfort, and some patients can avoid being seen by our office longer than others. It is important to note what we consider a reason to be seen by our office sooner rather than later:

• Cracked or chipped tooth
• Tooth abscess
• Knocked-out tooth
• Swelling around the mouth and face
• Filling or crown that has fallen out

Before Calling our Office

If you are experiencing slight discomfort and are unsure if you need to be seen, one home remedy that you can attempt is thoroughly brushing your teeth. Lingering food that remains trapped between the teeth can lead to swollen and tender gums as well as tooth discomfort. We suggest using dental floss between all teeth and brushing your teeth for a full two minutes. If this doesn’t solve the issue, we suggest calling our office.

If you find yourself dealing with a dental emergency, it is extremely important to remain calm and assess the situation. For anything severe, we recommend heading to the nearest emergency room. Otherwise, be sure to call our office located in Montgomery, AL and we can schedule an appointment for you.

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