Emergency dental care is just like any other emergency care, except, obviously is care that you receive in an emergency that has anything to do with your teeth, mouth, or entire oral area.
What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency refers to a situation in which a person needs help quickly because of a concern related to the oral sphere. This can often happen when a person:
- suffers from significant and aggravated pain in the oral area
- is having difficulty using the mouth or jaw properly
- suffers from significant trauma leading to serious injuries such as the expulsion of a tooth, or the fracture of the jaw
Generally, these types of emergencies are not life-threatening in the same way that other bodily injuries are, but that doesn’t mean you should not be treated by an emergency dental clinic. If you are at all concerned, visit your dentist during business hours or an emergency dental office as soon as possible. Many dental emergencies do indeed require the rapid intervention of practitioners, especially if you have difficulty breathing or suffers from high fever or a general worsening of the state of health (sign of a serious infection).
What are the types of dental emergencies?
The following is a non-exhaustive list of dental emergencies. If you are worried you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, such as excessive bleeding, please go to your nearest emergency room as soon as possible.
Oral trauma
Oral trauma refers to injuries caused by a violent shock. These traumas affect the visible or deep tissues in your mouth, which can cause problems such as the loss of a tooth or an injury to the tongue. These injuries can come from several accidents, including:
- Road/Car accidents: These are traffic accidents that take place on a road, a pavement or even on a sidewalk. All people who use public roads can be victims of this kind of trauma.
- Falls: These can include indeterminate falls, falls from heights, falls on stairs, falls against objects, falls from furniture, etc.
- Direct shocks caused by a projectile or a moving object.
Infectious pathologies
The oral cavity is a gateway for different pathogens. Due to an external factor such as the ingestion of treats, certain bacteria can proliferate and cause a dangerous infection. Pathogens can attack teeth and gums very quickly. If nothing is done, they can reach the periodontium which is the bone structure of the jaw. In the majority of cases, these problems are considered a dental emergency. Indeed, the practitioner must react quickly in order to slow down the spread of germs in the mouth. To do this, they can resort to antibiotic therapy, where they will prescribe drugs such as penicillin aimed at eliminating the microbes responsible for the disease.
Post-surgical hemorrhages of dental origin
After a dental problem, your dentist may perform oral surgery. Occasionally, there is issues with wounds healing from surgery. In these cases, the loss of blood should be considered dangerous and is definitely a reason to seek emergency medical and dental care.
Pain-related emergencies
Pain that is localized in the jaw or oral cavity could be an emergency. If you feel intense pain, you should get it checked out by a dentist or doctor.
Aesthetic emergencies
These are quite common problems such as a broken tooth, a loose bridge, or a loosening of a crown. This happens most often in the event of trauma or violent shocks. Here, the practitioner takes care of all the necessary operations in order to eliminate the pain felt and perform the necessary surgical interventions.