Five Dental Emergencies You Should Be Aware of at All Times

Dental emergencies occur when you least expect them. Whether you know how to manage the situation or not, it makes sense for you to have information about what you must do whenever a dental emergency strikes you. The first thought in your mind should be to seek emergency dental care in Chicago to find relief from the pain and discomfort you experience.

Although you cannot anticipate accidents, they can occur to everyone. Be aware of some precautions that help you prevent severe injuries to your teeth and mouth from accidents. If you are involved in contact sports, make sure you wear a mouthguard whenever you are playing. Dental emergencies don’t just occur because of accidents but generally are a result of oral neglect. Ensure you visit your dentist frequently for checkups and have your dentist’s emergency contact number in hand. Stay away from sticky and hard foods that are tough on your teeth, and do not neglect to brush and floss.

Five Emergencies You Must Be Aware of

Toothache

The most common dental emergency is a toothache occurring in the evenings or on holidays. The toothache is not life-threatening but is undoubtedly a pain in the mouth. It could emanate from a cavity or even from teeth grinding. If you have a toothache rinse your mouth with warm water and floss the area to check if any food particles are stuck to irritate. Take over-the-counter painkillers and contact your dentist for an emergency dental checkup if the pain is excruciating.

Knocked-out Tooth

Having a knocked-out tooth is undoubtedly a painful experience requiring you to act quickly. You must collect the tooth and rinse it for about 10 seconds and contact your dentist immediately for an appointment. If you cannot reach your dentist, consider visiting the emergency dentist near you if you wish to have the knocked-out tooth reinserted within 30 minutes. Time is of the essence whenever you have a knocked-out tooth. Any delay in getting to the dentist will leave you searching for tooth replacement solutions to close the gap in your mouth.

Broken or Cracked Teeth

Your teeth can break or crack either from impacts or when eating hard foods. If you think your tooth is broken or cracked, rinse your mouth with warm water and use an ice pack on your cheeks to keep the swelling down. You will likely experience pain but can take over-the-counter medications for relief. Call your dentist near you for an appointment and visit them as soon as possible. If the injury is not significant, the dentist may fill the tooth to fix it. Unfortunately, if the damage affects the tooth root, the dentist may have to extract it.

Dental Abscesses

Dental abscesses don’t appear out of the blue but result from deep infection in your tooth inflaming the dental pulp within. A dental abscess indicates the disease has spread to the jawbone, which is when you develop small pimples or bumps on your gums near the roots of your tooth. Dental abscesses are life-threatening and need prompt attention from an emergency dentist. When you visit the dental professional, they will drain out the abscess recommending that you undergo root canal therapy immediately to eradicate the infection within your tooth. Ignore the dentist’s recommendation, and you risk losing the tooth or even spreading the infection to your other teeth.

Broken Jaw

Do you suffer from excruciating jaw pain and believe you may have a broken jaw? Depending on the reason for your discomfort, the best option for you is to contact your emergency dentist near you immediately. If you are in severe pain, you can take medications to ease the pain and even use ice packs on your cheeks. Stay away from solid foods until your dentist examines your jaw. If not, you may end up with more pain. In a dental emergency involving your jaw must seek help from your dentist on what you can do for the broken jaw or jaw pain.

Dental emergencies can occur in various forms. Preventing them is practically impossible but preparing for them is undoubtedly possible. If you remain in frequent contact with your dentist for routine checkups and exams, they can help you prevent the most common dental emergencies. Besides accidents, all other dental emergencies result from oral hygiene neglect. Care for your oral hygiene as instructed by your dentist to safeguard yourself from unexpected dental emergencies.