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Emergency Dental Care: When Does It Become Necessary?

February 19, 2024
Emergency Dental Care: When Does It Become Necessary?

Toothaches are not standard, but many situations exist when oral health needs immediate attention. Most problems can wait for your regular dentist to see you, but some must be addressed promptly by an emergency dentist near you.

Emergency dental professionals are available for questions needing prompt attention whenever they encounter unexpected situations. Learn how to manage the most common injuries and problems with your teeth and understand how to decide when you need emergency dental care in this blog.

What Are the Causes for Teeth Injuries?

Injuries can affect teeth despite them being durable. Dental injuries of any type must be addressed quickly to protect your oral health, but there are some actions you can take before you meet the dentist to minimize damage to your teeth.

Sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and other type of trauma to the head can result in damage to the teeth. People with advanced gum disease and poor oral hygiene can experience a cracked tooth or lose a tooth.

Injuries as a result of severe blows to the face or head and must be evaluated promptly. Oral surgeons are on call at most hospitals to deal with severe injuries requiring attention for jaw fractures and other urgent cases. However, if you experience less severe injuries, including cracks, chips, or a knocked-out tooth, it becomes necessary for you to seek attention from a Rancho Cucamonga emergency dentist who has better experience in managing these problems. If you are regularly biting on hard items or have tooth decay, you must request an appointment with an emergency dentist as soon as possible, even if you believe the injury is not a big deal.

What to Do in Dental Emergencies?

If your injury is a result of an auto accident or contact sports or from blunt trauma to the head or face, you must look for immediate medical attention from a healthcare provider without waiting to see your dentist.

If your tooth is cracked, cleanse the area by swishing warm water in your mouth. If you experience any swelling, use cold compresses on your cheeks. Cracked teeth are susceptible to bacterial infections, making it essential to keep the area clean.

If you have a knocked-out tooth, you must always keep it moist to increase the chances of saving it. Try to place the tooth back in its socket by holding it by the crown without touching the roots. If it is not possible, place the tooth in a clean cup of milk and call your dentist in your area near Rialto immediately for an appointment. Reaching the dentist’s office within the hour is essential for reinserting the tooth into its socket.

Bleeding and swelling are familiar to a cracked or knocked-out tooth. To keep the swelling down, you can apply cold compresses and take over-the-counter pain medications for relief. Do not consider using aspirin at the site of the injury because it can burn the gum tissue.

How to Prevent Dental Injuries

Accidents can happen unexpectedly, but preventing dental injuries is not challenging if you are prepared to follow the suggestions of Mint Smiles Dentist in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, who will advise you:

  • To practice excellent oral hygiene to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy.
  • You must avoid chewing hard objects that can potentially crack your teeth. Dental professionals recommend avoiding chewing on pens, pencils, fingernails, and ice.
  • Your teeth are designed for chewing and consuming food, not to be used as instruments for opening packages.
  • Wearing appropriate mouthguards and face masks during contact sports or other recreational activities will help prevent dental injuries.

Dr. Truong is always available and provides emergency appointments when contacted for situations requiring immediate attention. This dental professional will attend to the issue you are experiencing while advising you to maintain good oral hygiene and to visit your dental professional for regular checkups to identify any problems that could be developing in your mouth.

Dental emergencies always occur either in the middle of the night or on holidays, causing stress and anxiety. However, if you have the contact details of the Rancho Cucamonga emergency dentist, you will find it convenient to overcome the issue bothering you by receiving prompt treatment. It is essential for you not to panic and contact the emergency dentist calmly because remedies for your problem are undoubtedly available.

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