Chances are you remember receiving some sort of first aid training at some point in your life, whether at school, at work or from a TV show. You have some idea of how to treat a wound, a bruise, and other minor medical emergencies. However, we never really get any training regarding dental emergencies. So much so that sometimes we don’t even know if we should call them “emergencies”, and when they happen to our loved ones or us, we have no idea how to react. In this article, you will learn about the most common dental emergencies and how you should act in each case.
What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is any situation involving the teeth, gums, tongue or jaw that compromises their normal function and the individual’s daily life. Dental emergencies are inconvenient and, in most cases, disabling since they can affect your ability to eat and speak. They are more common than people think and happen mostly in children. Thus, it is important to know of our emergency dental clinic near you where you can go in case you ever need to.
A Chipped Tooth
This is one of the most common reasons people visit our emergency dentist in West Edmonton. Sometimes it happens while the patient is chewing very hard food, but it can also be caused by trauma. As with any dental emergency, the first thing you should do is remain calm. It may seem very serious, but it’s not the end of the world. You should rinse your mouth with some warm water and try to retrieve all the loose pieces from the chipped tooth. After that, check to see if there is some bleeding and if the answer is yes, place a wet gauze on the tooth and gently bite on it to control the bleeding. Once the situation is under control, it is important to go to our dentist near you because the tooth might require some composite filling, or if the pulp and nerve are exposed, you may have to undergo root canal treatment to preserve the tooth.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
This situation is certainly more serious than the last one, and it can be more difficult to remain calm, but only by doing so will you take the proper steps. The most important thing in these cases is to preserve the vitality of the tooth, and the most effective way to do so is by repositioning it in the empty socket. However, not everyone can do so, and if that is your case, storing it in a container filled with milk until you reach our dentist in West Edmonton is enough. Remember that while handling the knocked-out tooth, you should only touch it and grab it by the crown and never by the roots since this can compromise the vitality. Also, if you are bleeding, control it by biting on some wet gauze.
Wisdom Tooth Pain
Another common reason for emergency dental visits is wisdom tooth pain. If these are not extracted as they should, they can cause many problems, such as impacted wisdom teeth, cavities, and cysts. Whatever the cause, wisdom tooth pain is severe and is no laughing matter. If you are experiencing what you believe is wisdom tooth pain, you should, first of all, try to take some over-the-counter pain reliever and apply some ice to the area. If you don’t feel any relief after this, don’t doubt before making your way to our dentist.