If you’ve sustained an injury or blow to the face or jaw, you understand the feeling of panic as you immediately cup your hand over your mouth. Upon looking in a mirror, perhaps you notice that your tooth has been knocked loose. In another case, maybe you’ve woken up with intense tooth pain, and you cannot see any evidence of damage or trauma. The truth is—individuals can find themselves facing a dental dilemma at any moment, which begs the question, do I need emergency dental care?
Colgate provides insight into common dental and mouth injuries including teeth that are cracked, broken or knocked out. In these cases, emergency dental care depends on where the tooth is located. For the most part, if there’s a minor crack or fracture, an individual can probably wait until normal business hours to contact their dentist. However, if a crack is severe, if a portion of a tooth is broken off or if the tooth comes out completely, an emergency call or trip to the dentist is in order.
Furthermore, if a tooth has been knocked out, it is imperative not to touch it too much. In fact, it’s best to carefully place it back in the tooth’s socket, if possible. In doing so, it is helpful to gently bite down on wet gauze or a wet tea bag. Otherwise, the tooth may be rinsed with water and preserved in a glass of milk.
Though the above-mentioned example is clearly an emergency situation, there are other instances that are not as apparent. Such is the case of severe tooth pain or even an abscess. As a rule, it is always best to contact your dentist if you are experiencing persistent pain, as this could signal the beginning of a true dental emergency.
Quick and Effective Emergency Dental Care in Manhattan
Group Health Dental understands how frightening and disruptive dental emergencies can be, and we also realize that not every concern is a true emergency. However, as a trusted source for quick and effective emergency care, we welcome your call whether you’ve suffered a traumatic dental injury or if you have tooth pain. You deserve peace of mind in the midst of your dental pain, and the compassionate team at Group Health Dental is here to help.
