Dental emergency refers to issues that affect both the teeth and its supporting tissues that should be addressed immediately with a relevant professional. A common sign of dental emergencies is pain, which is felt around the tooth or the surrounding tissues.
An expert in the field can be able to identify the cause of pain and address the issue depending on what level of pain the patient is feeling.
There are many types of dental emergencies in existence, and they range from having fractured teeth and dental restorations to infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Each situation is given a different approach, and the treatment is unique to each situation.
For instance, if a person is suffering from dental trauma (fractures), the kind of treatment approach he or she will receive from a medical practitioner will depend on the extent of the fracture and the site where the fracture has occurred.
Since you cannot predict when you or a member of your family will have a dental emergency, you should book with a dental clinic that offers emergency dental services beyond office hours. With this in check, you’ll never have to worry because you will be sure that you can count on your emergency dentist at any hour of need.
Family Dental Care offers such services and has emergency dentists in Chicago, IL, and another dentist in Crestwood, IL, among many other locations. Call us, and you will receive professional dental care from our clinic that’s closest to you.
Examples of Common Dental Emergencies
Brushing your teeth after every meal and flossing before going to bed will help keep dental problems at bay, but there are oral issues that call for an emergency procedure. Statistics show that people have lost about 320 million of school or work hours because of dental issues and dental emergencies are responsible for the loss of 92 million hours out of the 320 million lost.
Unfortunately, there are still many people who wouldn’t tell if their condition should be regarded as an emergency that requires urgent attention or not. Thus, they will be reluctant to visit the dentist, and this will result in more pain, further complications, and more medical expenses paid.
If you have a dental issue that can wait to be addressed during your next visit to the dentist, then that does not fit in the category of dental emergencies. To give you a better understanding, here are some examples of common dental emergencies:
- Trauma
Trauma is caused by accidents, and it often results in teeth dislodgment, tooth loss, or bleeding. Even at its worst, the dislodged tooth can still be saved, and timeliness is the key. If you have lost your tooth, use milk or water to rinse it and tuck the tooth inside the cheeks.
This helps in keeping the root and tooth moisturized as you head to the dentist ASAP. The emergency dentist will treat your pain, stop any bleeding, and conduct an assessment to determine whether the tooth can be saved.
- Cracked Tooth
There many factors that can cause a tooth to crack, primarily if you have surpassed the age of 50. This is because, at this stage of life, your teeth are naturally weak. Regardless of the cause, visit a dentist for treatment if there are sharp fragments left inside the mouth or if you are in excruciating pain.
- Severe Unexplained Tooth Pains
Toothaches can be quite painful and can develop as a result of a dental procedure gone wrong or due to the formation of gum and pulpal abscess, subjecting the sufferer to discomfort. This makes one feel pain when biting and chewing, and for this reason, immediate dental attention is required.
- Lost Fillings
The loss of dental fillings is considered as a case of emergency if it causes severe inflammation and pain. Inflammation occurs when the tooth tissue gets exposed to bacteria. The bacteria infest the tissue and cause an infection to arise.
Other examples include a swollen jaw or mouth, bleeding gums, and the coming off of dental crowns.
How it is Beneficial During Covid 19
Due to how fast and easy the spread of Covid19 is, most dental clinics have shut down their daily functioning routine as a precautionary measure to stop it from spreading. However, the clinics are open for emergency dental services only, helping to address dental emergencies that people may develop while quarantining at their homes. This has promoted ideal oral care and also the overall general health of people.
