If you have been ignoring dental health or are irregular with dental checkups, gear up for an impending dental emergency. But how do you define a dental emergency? ‘There are often divergent opinions between clinicians and patients as to what constitutes a dental emergency. For, e.g., a person may suddenly lose a filling, crown, bridge, etc., and be completely pain-free, but due to cosmetic concerns they perceive it as an emergency. But some might even ignore a prolonged painful toothache for days, believing that it will go away on its own,’ says
Dr Shantanu Jaradi, Aesthetic Dentist, Dentzz Dental Clinic. Also read,
you might be suffering from tooth sensitivity and not even know it.
What really is a dental emergency?
Here are a few scenarios that can be termed as a dental emergency:
- Toothaches
- Chipped or broken tooth
- Knocked-out tooth
- Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth
- Objects caught between teeth
- Lost filling
- Lost Crown
- Broken braces and wires
- Abscess
- Soft-tissue injuries
Here are few dental emergencies when you must visit a doctor:
The falling of dental filling or tooth fracture: Dental restoration falling out or dental fracture can be considered a dental emergency as these can impact important functions apart from aesthetics, like eating, talking, etc. Ignorance could lead to loss of tooth tissue, infection and tremendous pain. Sudden dental pain or dental trauma can, to a certain extent, lead to an inability to concentrate or focus on other important tasks. Here are some
foods that are damaging your teeth and you don’t even realise.
Toothaches: They can get hold of you any time, any place and put you in immense pain. A toothache could be due to an injury to the teeth or gums. In either case, it needs attention. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment later on. A long standing cavity or food impaction in a tooth if left untreated can later, on over a period, can lead to severe infection and sudden severe dental pain and intraoral or extraoral swelling. Here are
five dental procedures that you need to choose with care.
Abscesses: These are infections that occur in the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage to the tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.
How to take care of a dental emergency at home?
While it is imperative to go to a dentist if you suffer from a dental emergency, however, here are few things you can do to soothe your teeth and gums before receiving medical assistance.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly: Do this with lukewarm water. Use dental floss to remove any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or on the cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. See your dentist as soon as possible.
Take help of painkillers: Consuming over the counter painkillers will provide some instant symptomatic relief. But make sure you visit the dentist as soon as possible.
Soothe the bleeding gums: Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here's what to do:
- Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
- Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
- For both, control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or the cheek around the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
- If the bleeding doesn't stop, see your dentist right away. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be treated.
Image source: Getty Images
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