If you have a dental emergency, you may not be able to wait for treatment. But how do you recognise when emergency dental care is required?
It depends on the level of trauma your teeth and/or gums have suffered. Pain is also a factor.
WHAT IS A DENTAL EMERGENCY?
Dental emergencies, according to the British Dental Association (BDA), are “possibly life-threatening and require immediate treatment.”
Examples of dental emergencies and situations requiring urgent dental care include:
- Toothache that is quite painful
- Abscesses
- Swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Fractured teeth
- Pain while chewing
- Inflammation around your wisdom teeth
- Accidental trauma to your tooth
WHAT ISN’T A DENTAL EMERGENCY?
In general, if you can wait a few days for treatment, you don’t have a dental emergency. A minor chip in your tooth, for example, can be repaired by our dentist within a few days after an accident. However, if you have a large chip in your tooth with sharp edges, our dentist would need to treat that right away.
The severity of your disease will determine whether or not you require urgent dental care. The following are examples of conditions that do not necessitate emergency dental care:
- Mild toothache
- Small chip or crack in your tooth without pain
- Lost crown or filling
IS LOSING A DENTAL CROWN AN EMERGENCY?
No. You have a few days till you see our emergency dentist if you’ve lost a crown. However, you will need to protect your tooth in the meantime.
If your dental crown is intact, Our dentist in Guildford clean it and apply dental cement to your actual tooth. Then, he can put the crown over your tooth and hold it in place until the cement dries.
Remove your dental crown from your mouth if it isn’t intact to avoid swallowing it. However, do not discard it. Set it aside to be examined by our emergency dentist in Guildford, Surrey. If your crown is in good shape, we may be able to re-use it. In the meantime, you can protect your crownless tooth by molding dental wax over it.
CAN YOU TELL IF MY TOOTHACHE IS SEVERE OR MILD?
The presence of pain might help you determine whether or not your situation is a dental emergency. Floss your teeth first if you’re not sure if your toothache is bad enough to need an emergency dental visit.
Small pieces of food can easily become lodged between your teeth, causing minor discomfort. Your gums may bleed a little if you dislodge a piece of food that has been stuck for a while. This is normal, not a sign of an emergency.
After flossing your teeth, wait to see if the toothache goes away. If it persists or worsens, your toothache is likely severe enough to book a visit with our emergency dentist in Guildford.
SUFFERING FROM A DENTAL EMERGENCY? CALL TODAY
We always advise patients to see us at the first sign of dental discomfort. That way, we can address the issue while it is still minor and manageable.
Are you still unsure if you require emergency dental care? Call our emergency dentist today to be on the safe side. Our dental practice offers urgent dental care for those painful situations that just can’t wait another minute for treatment.
Dr Farahani is a Guildford emergency dentist whose first priority is to protect your teeth, gums, and oral health. Call Woodbridge Emergency Dental Care today at 01483568584 , or contact us online to request an appointment.
