Dental Emergencies: How to Handle Emergency Dental Issues

The last thing anyone wants to deal with is a dental emergency. A cracked tooth, infection, or sudden, severe dental pain needs to be treated as soon as possible.

If you’re currently experiencing a dental emergency and need help now, please skip to the next section in this article. We explain how to find emergency dentistry services in Chicago. That way, you can get the treatment you need, when you need it.

Even if you’re not experiencing a dental emergency right now, it’s best to be prepared. Keep reading to learn how to relieve tooth pain quickly.

Have a Dental Emergency? Here’s What to Do

When you’re experiencing a dental emergency, it’s critical that you act fast — not only to address the pain but to prevent further, more serious issues and complications from occurring. Here are some things you should do right away:

Contact your dentist. Even if it’s after hours, many dental offices have an answering service or at least a machine that will pick up your message for the next day. Some dentists have after-hour locations as well, so it’s always a good idea to check this out and be prepared ahead of time.

Issues such as severe toothache, broken teeth, knocked-out tooth, loose teeth, dental abscess, severe gum bleeding, lost dental crown, or injury to the mouth are all reasons to seek emergency dental care.

Certain issues like damage to bridges, partials, and crowns may require emergency cosmetic dentistry so you’ll want to make sure that your dentist provides that service.

In some cases, you may not be able to wait. Severe facial trauma, excessive bleeding, high fever, and difficulty swallowing are reasons not to wait and to seek urgent care.

In any dental emergency, there are a few general measures you can take before seeking professional help. Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater to alleviate discomfort and clean the area.

If a tooth has been knocked out, gently rinse it without scrubbing the root and try to reinsert it into the socket, or store it in milk or saliva until you reach the dentist.

What To Do in a Dental Emergency

Anytime we see medical emergencies in dentistry, we take it very seriously and the dental professionals at Dentologie are here to help! It’s also important that you understand how to handle the emergency, every step of the way.

An emergency dentist provides immediate care for urgent dental issues outside of regular office hours. We strongly recommend that people research emergency dental services in their area beforehand, so you know where to go if the need ever arises.

If you’re unable to find any relief from the pain, consider taking over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen. Anti-inflammatory medications will help address swelling and alleviate pain until it’s time for your appointment.

Final Thoughts

While emergency dentistry might not be a topic anyone really wants to discuss, it’s important that you understand how to handle it, where to seek help, and what you can do to manage the situation until it’s time for your appointment.

If you’re in need of emergency dental care, schedule your next visit quickly and easily online!