Treating Your Dental Emergencies Properly
While some patients may downplay the symptoms of their dental condition to avoid going to the dentist, it’s important to seek the care you need as soon as possible — especially in an emergency situation. Knowing when to seek the emergency care you need, and what to do to prepare for your appointment is essential.
What is Considered a Dental Emergency?
Not every dental injury is considered an emergency, but certain situations require the help of a skilled emergency dentist. Some of the most common causes of a dental emergency include:
- A bad toothache with sharp shooting pain.
- An injury to your mouth that has caused one or multiple missing teeth.
- A tooth with an infected abscess.
- Trauma to the facial bones
Common signs that you have a dental emergency include uncontrollable bleeding or tissue bacteria in a patient’s airway.
Dental emergencies are potentially life-threatening and require immediate treatment. Keep reading to learn what to do in the event of a dental emergency, so that you can prepare for your dentist appointment.
How Do I Treat an Abscess?
A dental abscess occurs when one or multiple teeth form a pocket of pus, resulting in a bacterial infection. In addition to forming on the root of your tooth, a bacterial infection can also form on your gums. A dental abscess can be a result of a bacterial infection, injury, gum disease, or a foreign object lodged in your gums or teeth.
To treat an abscess and prevent further damage, you should seek treatment as soon as possible. Doing so can prevent a dire oral emergency. At your appointment, your dentist may perform one of the following options:
- Drain the abscess
- A root canal
- Prescribe antibiotics
- Remove a foreign object
- Extract your tooth if it is too damaged
What Do I Do if I Break a Tooth?
A broken tooth can range from minor chips in your enamel to more severe cases — where a patient may be missing part of their tooth altogether.
No matter the size of your chip or break, it’s important to visit your dentist as soon as possible for proper treatment. However, obvious signs of dentin (yellow in color) or pulp (red in color) in or on your tooth are both serious conditions, and you should see your doctor the same day if possible. In contrast to a routine visit, you’ll want to follow these steps before your emergency dental appointment:
- Rinse your broken tooth with warm water to ensure there’s no debris on it.
- Take the broken pieces of your tooth in a dry container to your dentist.
- Use a cold compress if your tooth is sensitive or your gums feel swollen.
If your tooth is knocked out completely try to preserve the tooth in milk if possible and pack the tooth socket with gauze on your way to your appointment.
What Should I Do If I Have a Dental Emergency?
It can be impossible to avoid trauma or damage to your teeth — whether it’s from eating certain foods or being involved in an accident. However, Frisco's Dentists is always available to care for your emergency dental needs.
You should contact your dentist right away if you experience a blow to the face that may have damaged your teeth, or if you have one of the symptoms mentioned above.
Emergency Dental Services in Frisco TX
At Frisco's Dentists, we take the emergency dental care our patients seriously and will try out best to see you as soon as possible. We know that the sooner you receive professional treatment, the easier and less expensive the fix may be without prolonged pain or symptoms.
To book an emergency dental appointment, call our team today for immediate service: (972) 200-0656
To book a cleaning or non-emergency service, contact us online.