Common Dental Emergencies & What to Do Next
Dental emergencies can strike at any time and in any place, from the kitchen table to the schoolyard or the football field. There’s never a good time for a dental emergency but luckily, help is available. Read on for more information about dental emergencies and what you can do to ease the pain and save your teeth!
Cracked and Chipped Teeth
If you’ve experienced a chipped or cracked tooth, you’ll know that it can be painful. Luckily, chipped teeth aren’t always painful and in many cases, they’re not an emergency situation. In fact, you might not even feel a minor chip in your teeth. If you’ve discovered a minor chip or crack in your tooth, you should make a general dental appointment with your local dentist. Minor chips can be caused by biting down on something hard and they’re often a sign of tooth decay.
Major cracks in your teeth can cause a toothache and are usually caused by physical trauma. You should contact your emergency dentist to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Other steps you can take include rinsing the area with warm water and taking a painkiller such as paracetamol for pain relief.
Tooth and Gum Abscesses
Dental abscesses can be incredibly painful, so you will most likely want to see a dentist straight away! Abscesses occur on the gums and inside your teeth, forming when bacteria enter your mouth and creates an infection. As well as being painful, abscesses will come with swelling and pus, and they often form very quickly.
If you notice swelling on the inside of your mouth, a mild salt-water solution may help to reduce the pressure and relieve the pus. However, the best thing to do when an abscess forms is to contact the dentist straight away. An untreated abscess can last for months, becoming more painful and the spreading throughout your mouth and even to other areas of the body!
Lost Tooth – Teeth Avulsion
When we’re children, losing our teeth is an event to remember, often accompanied by money under the pillow. On the other hand, losing an adult tooth is a much more serious matter. Whether you fell on the streets or got injured on the sports field, the most important thing is to act fast!
Rinse the tooth with water briefly and contact an emergency dentist immediately. If you can, gently hold the tooth in its socket with a clean cloth, but otherwise, keep it in a glass of milk or your own saliva.
Other Severe Pain, Swelling or Bleeding
Pain, swelling and bleeding are usually signs of dental troubles, but they’re not always emergency situations. However, when the pain, swelling and bleeding are severe or constant, it’s time to get immediate attention.
Potential emergency situations include:
- Severe inflammation and swelling around the wisdom teeth
- Serious swelling and bleeding, often caused by trauma or tooth infection
- Broken or lost crowns or fillings, accompanied by serious pain
Book an Appointment with an Emergency Dentist in Bowen Hills
Based in the heart of Bowen Hills, Showground Dental offers expert treatments and emergency services in the greater Brisbane area, including Newstead, Fortitude Valley and Herston. Visit us online to book an appointment or call us today on 07 3852 2882. We’re open 6 days a week with evening services by appointment only.
