What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

Sometimes, patients encounter dental problems that require urgent attention, such as facial trauma that damages or even knocks loose a tooth or a severe toothache that causes significant discomfort. A broken dental appliance may also warrant immediate assistance. An abscess, which is an infection around the tooth’s root or between the tooth and the gums, is another cause for concern, as the infection can easily spread throughout the body, threatening the patient’s overall health. Abscesses also tend to be quite painful.

Any such situation may be considered a dental emergency.

In cases of a dental emergency, it’s important to see your dentist as soon as possible. Most dentists have some flexibility in their schedules to accommodate same-day appointments for patients who are affected by a dental emergency. In some cases, the dentist may recommend that the patient go to the emergency room and then schedule a follow-up appointment with the dentist for any additional treatment that may be necessary. 

Although dentists may accept brand new patients with dental emergencies, it is preferable to have an existing relationship with a dentist so that if you do find yourself in need of urgent dental care, the dentist will already be familiar with your case.

Your dentist will schedule an appointment with you as soon as possible, but there still may be a short period of time when you are waiting to be seen.

As such, patients should also be prepared to take necessary steps to address the situation while they are waiting for their appointment. For example, when a tooth has been knocked out, it can be stored in a container of milk or in a growth medium like Save-a-Tooth until the patient gets to the dentist. A lost filling can be replaced with dental cement or even sugar-free gum, in a pinch. Dental pain can often be managed for a short-time with over-the-counter painkillers.

It’s best to be prepared by both having your dentist’s phone number handy and compiling a dental emergency kit to keep at home. For additional tips, contact the office of Dr. Owen C. Mandanas at 907-276-5522 today.