All emergencies are stressful, traumatic, and scary no matter how young or old you are, and dental emergencies are no exception. Knowing what constitutes a dental emergency and how to handle dental emergencies when they arise is the key to ensuring that you make the best decisions when they are truly necessary.
A knocked out tooth is typically the most traumatic and severe dental emergency, however, there are other dental emergencies that can get people into more trouble:
- A cracked or broken tooth
- A damaged dental bridge or crown
- A lost filling
- An infection or abscess around a tooth
- An injured jaw
- Dental bleeding
- Swelling inside the mouth
- Tooth pain
- Tooth sensitivity
These types of dental emergencies can actually pose more of a threat to your oral health simply because many people are tempted to ignore them until they get to the point where they can no longer be ignored. This is exactly what causes these issues to be dangerous to your oral health. The above listed emergencies will not resolve on their own. In fact, they will only get worse and require more invasive intervention the longer they are ignored. While these may be non-urgent issues, meaning they can wait a day or two, they should never be ignored any longer than that. Early intervention with minor dental emergencies prevents serious dental emergencies that require costly intervention.
Of course, a knocked out tooth is a dental emergency that cannot wait. All teeth are connected by tooth roots to a constant blood supply. If this blood supply is cut off, the tooth will immediately begin to die. If it is possible, place a knocked out tooth back into its socket to encourage it to reconnect with its roots. If this is not possible, put it in a small amount of milk or your own saliva and take it immediately with you to the dentist’s office. It is not always possible to save a tooth that has been knocked out, but with immediate intervention there is a much greater chance for success.
Ashley Dinh, DDS, is here for all of your dental emergencies!
Posted on behalf Ashley Dinh, DDS
Ashley Dinh, DDS
107 E Holly Ave, Suite 5
Sterling, VA 20164
(703) 430-6655
Monday – Friday 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM