Dental emergencies can be so bad that they put your life on hold until you get the situation under control. While there are several things that you can do to avoid a dental emergency, there are other issues that can’t be prevented. Regardless of when it happens or why, how are you supposed to know if it is in fact a true emergency or something that can wait to be addressed during normal business hours? Also, what are you supposed to do during the time you are waiting to be seen? Let’s find out.
True Dental Emergencies and What to Do
Dental emergencies come in a variety of forms. The following are dental issues that you should get seen about right away and what you should do in the meantime:
A Tooth Is Loose or Was Knocked Out
It’s common for blunt force trauma that occurred during a contact sport or car accident to result in a loose tooth or one that has been completely knocked out of its socket. This is definitely a dental emergency, and the amount of time between the accident and being treated by a Mesa emergency dentist is crucial for the outcome of the tooth.
If the tooth is slanted or turned, try your best to reposition it without completely removing it. If it has fallen out completely, slip it back in as soon as possible to prevent the socket from closing up. Try to get it in the correct position.
When you visit our emergency dentist in Mesa, we’ll make sure that the tooth is positioned correctly and then reinforce it into place. This can be done by adding a small wire to the back of your teeth, which stabilizes the compromised tooth and gives it the best chance of a positive outcome. After a few years since your accident, you may notice that the tooth is darker in color than your other teeth, meaning that the tooth has died, which is not uncommon at all. If this does take place, our dentist will discuss treatment options with you at that time.
Severe Toothache
An excruciating toothache occurs when you have a severely infected tooth. When this happens, the pain is so bad that it even wakes you up at night. When contacting our emergency dentist with this problem we may be able to prescribe you pain medication and an antibiotic to ease your discomfort and reduce the intensity of the infection. Please note that the only way to repair an abscessed tooth is by having it treated with root canal therapy or by having the tooth extracted, so be sure to follow up with us to make a decision on how to proceed.
Swelling of the Face or Neck
Dental infections can be so bad that they cause your neck and face to swell. This is a dangerous side effect because your throat can begin to close in, giving you trouble breathing or swallowing. An infection can swell your eye shut as well. Holding an ice pack over the area may help, as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or Aleve.
A prescription antibiotic will be needed but oral medications take several days to start working. Our dentist may have you go to the hospital’s emergency room instead for an IV antibiotic treatment, which works much faster. Swelling is not something to take likely and could be life threatening. Get medication attention right away if you have this problem.
High Fever Caused by a Tooth
Like some of the other conditions we’ve already covered, a high fever usually indicates a severe infection. You’ll need an antibiotic to start with, and then a root canal or an extraction. Take some over-the-counter fever-reducing medication like Tylenol and call our dentist. If you can’t get your fever under control you may need to go to the emergency room.
Dental Emergency in Mesa, Arizona
The best way to prevent a dental emergency from occurring is to visit our Mesa family dentist regularly for cleanings and exams. By monitoring your teeth, we can catch dental issues when they’re small and easy to fix rather than risking excruciating pain and the possible loss of a tooth when you least expect it.
Also, if you have a dental condition and you’re not sure if it constitutes an emergency, feel free to give Dr. Vinh Huynh, DMD a call to find out. He and the staff of Eastport Dental are always here to help you and ensure that you have the best possible dental care available.
Dental emergencies can be so bad that they put your life on hold until you get the situation under control. While there are several things that you can do to avoid a dental emergency, there are other issues that can’t be prevented. Regardless of when it happens or why, how are you supposed to know if it is in fact a true emergency or something that can wait to be addressed during normal business hours? Also, what are you supposed to do during the time you are waiting to be seen? Let’s find out.
True Dental Emergencies and What to Do
Dental emergencies come in a variety of forms. The following are dental issues that you should get seen about right away and what you should do in the meantime:
A Tooth Is Loose or Was Knocked Out
It’s common for blunt force trauma that occurred during a contact sport or car accident to result in a loose tooth or one that has been completely knocked out of its socket. This is definitely a dental emergency, and the amount of time between the accident and being treated by a Mesa emergency dentist is crucial for the outcome of the tooth.
If the tooth is slanted or turned, try your best to reposition it without completely removing it. If it has fallen out completely, slip it back in as soon as possible to prevent the socket from closing up. Try to get it in the correct position.
When you visit our emergency dentist in Mesa, we’ll make sure that the tooth is positioned correctly and then reinforce it into place. This can be done by adding a small wire to the back of your teeth, which stabilizes the compromised tooth and gives it the best chance of a positive outcome. After a few years since your accident, you may notice that the tooth is darker in color than your other teeth, meaning that the tooth has died, which is not uncommon at all. If this does take place, our dentist will discuss treatment options with you at that time.
Severe Toothache
An excruciating toothache occurs when you have a severely infected tooth. When this happens, the pain is so bad that it even wakes you up at night. When contacting our emergency dentist with this problem we may be able to prescribe you pain medication and an antibiotic to ease your discomfort and reduce the intensity of the infection. Please note that the only way to repair an abscessed tooth is by having it treated with root canal therapy or by having the tooth extracted, so be sure to follow up with us to make a decision on how to proceed.
Swelling of the Face or Neck
Dental infections can be so bad that they cause your neck and face to swell. This is a dangerous side effect because your throat can begin to close in, giving you trouble breathing or swallowing. An infection can swell your eye shut as well. Holding an ice pack over the area may help, as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or Aleve.
A prescription antibiotic will be needed but oral medications take several days to start working. Our dentist may have you go to the hospital’s emergency room instead for an IV antibiotic treatment, which works much faster. Swelling is not something to take likely and could be life threatening. Get medication attention right away if you have this problem.
High Fever Caused by a Tooth
Like some of the other conditions we’ve already covered, a high fever usually indicates a severe infection. You’ll need an antibiotic to start with, and then a root canal or an extraction. Take some over-the-counter fever-reducing medication like Tylenol and call our dentist. If you can’t get your fever under control you may need to go to the emergency room.
Dental Emergency in Mesa, Arizona
The best way to prevent a dental emergency from occurring is to visit our Mesa family dentist regularly for cleanings and exams. By monitoring your teeth, we can catch dental issues when they’re small and easy to fix rather than risking excruciating pain and the possible loss of a tooth when you least expect it.
Also, if you have a dental condition and you’re not sure if it constitutes an emergency, feel free to give Dr. Vinh Huynh, DMD a call to find out. He and the staff of Eastport Dental are always here to help you and ensure that you have the best possible dental care available.
