When Might You Need To Visit An Emergency Dentist
When something goes wrong with your teeth, it often needs sorting out straight away. Tooth pain can be very stressful and waiting for an appointment at your dentists is not always an option. Thankfully many private dentists offer an emergency dentistry service meaning that you don’t have to go to A&E and potentially wait hours to be seen.
Hopefully you will never need to go to an emergency dentist but here are some of the problems that could be solved quickly and efficiently should you need to.
Chipped or broken teeth
Broken or chipped teeth are one of the most common problems that emergency dentists treat on a regular basis. It might be that you’ve slipped and chipped your tooth or that a tooth has come completely loose. You should put the tooth into a glass of milk or salted water to keep it safe and protected but be aware that the tooth will need to be reattached within 1 hour of it falling out. The dentist will assess whether the damage is purely aesthetic or whether the root of your tooth has been damaged as well. If it is only cosmetic, you can then discuss the options available to you.
Loose Crowns & Fillings
Filling and crowns are far more secure nowadays than they used to be but they can still become dislodged especially where the tooth beneath the filling has become more damaged. In this instance, the tooth can become very painful and while it isn’t a big emergency, you may still like to have the problem sorted as soon as possible. When a crown has fallen out, you should visit a dentist as soon as possible as other teeth can start to move into the gap created.
Toothache
There are a number of causes for toothache from wisdom teeth coming through to abscesses that need treating as soon as possible. Many people put-off going to the dentist and assume that the pain will go away but it is better that you get it checked out in case it is an infection or something serious. The longer you leave it, the more difficult it will be to treat. You can help by rinsing your mouth out with lightly salted water – remember not to swallow it. This can help to calm irritating wisdom tooth or gum pain.
Emergency dentists can help with a range of problems. If you are in pain or think that you need medical treatment, it is best to make an appointment straight away.