What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any severe dental problem or injury that requires immediate and urgent medical attention. Dental issues include extreme toothache, oral trauma or any missing dental restorative work. Without timely intervention from an emergency dental professional, the condition can worsen and result in more severe complications, such as damage to the teeth, jaw, or surrounding tissues.
How can you tell if it is a dental emergency?
Here are the common signs that you may be experiencing a dental emergency:
- severe tooth pain
- chipped tooth
- tooth trauma
- knocked-out tooth
- swelling in the gums or face
- difficulty swallowing or breathing
- bleeding in the mouth
- broken dentures
- missing crowns or fillings
In any case, you should see an emergency dentist as soon as possible to ensure the problem does not worsen and to determine the best course of action for treatment.
What should you do in a dental emergency?
If you experience a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is contact your local emergency dentist. If your regular dentist is unavailable, consider calling a 24-hour dental service if available in your area, otherwise visit your local hospital emergency department These services can provide the urgent care needed to manage your dental emergency and stabilise the situation.
