When it comes to a mouth injury or severe tooth pain, do yourself a favor and call your dentist as soon as possible. Waiting too long to seek professional treatment for you dental concerns can result in more painful and more expensive dental problems. It is important that you find a dentist, such as Group Health Dental, that offers emergency dental service. A knocked out tooth or a severe tooth infection does not always follow normal business hours.
What exactly constitutes a dental emergency? The most obvious and critical dental emergency is a tooth injury. If your tooth is dislodged or chipped, apply a cold compress, take a pain reliever and see your dentist as soon as possible. However, if you have completely knocked out your tooth, you have a critical time frame to seek help from a dentist and save your tooth. For a knocked out tooth, always hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water. Never scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place, but do not force it. If you are unable to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt). For all knocked out tooth injuries, call your dentist right away. Typically you have 1 hour to get your tooth back into its socket and save your tooth!
Tooth or mouth injuries are not the only cause for an emergency dental call. If you have a pimple-like swelling on your gum that is painful, you might have an abscess. An abscess is an infection that can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. Because of the serious health problems that can result from an abscess infection, see your dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface, try rinsing your mouth with a mild saltwater solution.
Group Health Dental understands the disruption of dental problems. They offer emergency dental services to patients. An emergency dentist can discuss your specific problems and guide you towards necessary treatment, whether it is at-home treatment advice until a dental appointment is available or immediate treatment to save your tooth. Avoid going to the ER for dental emergencies. Instead, see a dentist for proper treatment and advice for a dental concern – your mouth and your wallet will thank you!
