What to Do When a Dental Emergency Occurs

A dental emergency should never be ignored and should be immediately attended to.  As per National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the share of dental visits of all ER visits in the United States has been on the rise. 

However, the risk of dental emergencies can be mitigated with regular dental care. The Cascade Family Dental Clinic at Santa Rosa, California, has an expert team of dentists to cater to all your dental emergencies.

Tooth pain remains the most common dental emergency for most people. Dental pain can sometimes be sudden and excruciating and need urgent attention. Until professional help arrives, it is advisable to rinse the mouth thoroughly to remove any food particles. 

A full clove or swab of clove oil could be placed in the region of the pain which can provide relief. If there is pain or swelling, a cold towel or pack can also be applied to the outer surface.  

In some cases, there could be an abscess or pus formation, which indicates underlying infection. This also requires the immediate attention of a dentist. 

A very common dental injury is when someone falls on their face. This is often seen in children, causing the front teeth to break.  This can cause partial or complete knocking out of the tooth, tearing of the lips or gums, and pain and bleeding.  

Try to place the knocked-out tooth in a container of saliva or milk, try to control bleeding if possible, and use an ice pack to reduce swelling. Immediately rush to a dentist so that the tooth can be put back in its place and salvaged.

Dental injuries are common with road accidents and need emergency attention.  While a minor bruise can wait, a broken tooth or exposed jawbone should be immediately attended to. If possible, an ice pack can be provided to control the bleeding and swelling. Rush to a dentist immediately for proper care.

As emergencies cannot be planned for, it is best to have contact details of nearby clinics handy.