As with any emergency, including dental, the important thing is to try and remain calm. Sometimes medical and dental emergencies are one and the same. In such cases, the individual experiencing trauma should receive medical emergency care as soon as possible. Emergency units often have oral surgeons who are trained in managing a dental emergency as part of a medical one.
Dental emergencies may be standalone requiring emergency care provided by a dental professional. Typical dental emergencies include:
Totally or partially knocked out tooth
Broken, chipped or fractured tooth
Persistent toothache
Bleeding teeth and gums
Tooth infection
Dental abscess
Injured lip or tongue
Broken or dislocated jaw
Broken orthodontic device or denture
Any one of these conditions may trigger a dental emergency. Steps that may be taken in handling a dental emergency include:
Staying calm and contacting an emergency dentist for care immediately
Being accompanied as soon as possible to the emergency dentist
Using cotton wool and antiseptic from a dental emergency kit to temporarily stem bleeding
Gently rinsing the mouth with warm water where tooth infection or bleeding is occurring
Applying clove oil to a toothache
Keeping broken off parts of a tooth or a knocked out tooth in the cavity of the mouth for the emergency dentist
If partially knocked out, pressing the tooth back into the tooth socket en-route to the emergency dentist
Emergency dentists may be able to save a tooth if parts of the tooth or the whole tooth are kept for treatment. However, where the lip, tongue or mouth is torn, or the jaw is broken it is advisable to attend a medical emergency unit as soon as possible. Contact Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol for more information on emergency dental treatment.
It is human nature to panic when suddenly, something goes dramatically wrong, and this is the same in a dental emergency. Whether it is a chipped tooth, the loss of a fitting or more seriously, the outbreak of an abscess or the sudden loss of a tooth- at the time, each can seem like a crisis. However, it is how you react after the initial shock and then deal with the problem that can make all the difference, and all of this means that if you are aware of what is the nature of the emergency beforehand, then you can handle situations better. The internet is full of little pointers as to what to do when things goes wrong, so you would be wise to do a little homework on dental emergencies; your dentist is always a good person to turn to for this too, so take time out to study all scenarios so that you are prepared for any eventuality. You can stock up with painkillers and soothing gels to help you through minor incidents; you should also have numbers to call in a serious emergency; some dentists work out of hours and can be ready at anytime for you. More importantly, always remember that you have your nearest hospital to fall back on if you feel that you are not coping to well during the crisis. In Swindon, you are blessed by being served by Clifton Dental from Bristol and these people can give you top tips on how to come through a dental emergency.
An emergency can strike at anytime in your mouth, and you’ll need to be ready when it does. Dental issues come in many shapes and sizes, some are vitally important to get treated, others not so, but if you know what to look out for and what to do, you can be rational and make informed decisions about your plight. Serious situations like an abscess or having a tooth knocked out require immediate treatment: an abscess is dangerous and aside from the pain and swelling, you need antibiotics to stop your blood from being poisoned and reduce the swelling; a tooth that has been knocked out can be saved, if you can get somewhere quickly to have it put back into place. However, there are other things that can go wrong, yet you can just nurse yourself through until you can be attended to by your dentist. A toothache indicates signs of decay, but you can soothe yourself with painkillers until you can be worked on. A lost/loose crown, filling, veneer or bridge, may cause discomfort, even lacerations to your tongue and gums, but with soothing gels and again, painkillers, you can get through until your dentist can see you. It is wise to understand the nature of any emergency in your mouth, so find out all you can beforehand. Clifton Dental operates in the Swindon area: they will supply you with all the information you need on dental emergencies, so that you will know how to react when one arises.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry