This is a collaborative post
Nobody likes going to the dentist, there’s no worse way to ruin a trip like a dental emergency. Whether it’s a family vacation, a work trip or you’re visiting in-laws, having a dental emergency can be a scary and frustrating experience. While it’s not an ideal situation, it’s certainly a significant one, as many severe dental issues can lead to life threatening infections. That’s why it’s important to be able to recognize what a dental emergency is, and how you can find a dentist able to provide treatment.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
The first thing to do is determine if the dental issue requires treatment right away. Depending on the remaining length of your trip and the severity of the issue you might be able to wait until you get back to see your regular dentist. Minor aches and pains are usually not emergencies, and can likely go a few days.
In these minor cases, using an OTC pain medication can help make it more bearable until you’re able to see the dentist. Take caution not to overdue the medication though, if the pain doesn’t respond to the recommended doses that may be a sign of a more serious issue.
If your mouth is swollen, bleeding or a tooth has been dislodged, those are likely all emergencies. Large cracks and breaks, or sudden adult tooth loss are also all emergency level issues. If you’re suffering from any of these ailments, it’s important to seek assistance as soon as possible to prevent further infection or further damage. In many cases, emergencies are accompanied by severe pain which will make it difficult to continue with your day. If the pain reaches unbearable levels you’ve definitely got an emergency on your hands.
How To Find an Emergency Dentist?
If you’re suffering from a dental emergency, the next step is to find an emergency dentist Essex or where ever you happen to be based, that can help you. Not all work after hours, but those that do will likely advertise these services. In many cases, a quick search online is all you need to find a local dentist that can provide emergency services.
Where you are is going to play heavily into how easy it is to find a dentist. Larger cities are naturally going to have more emergency service dentists than small towns. Wherever you are, check to see if there is any service setup to help you find care in an emergency.
For example, the NHS provides a dental finding service that can help locate a dentist in an emergency. Most developed countries will have a similar service. You can also try simply calling a local dentist; even if they’re out of office, many have a recorded message on what to do in an emergency.
Common Dental Emergencies
Of all the things that could happen there’s a few that are more likely than others. Here are a couple common issues that can lead to a dental emergency.
Abscesses
One of the more serious issues is an abscessed tooth. This is a pocket of pus that can form in your mouth as the result of a bacterial infection. Left untreated, this infection can spread to the rest of your body and become life threatening. This is why it’s important to not put this type of situation off. Symptoms include swelling in mouth, pain, and a foul taste in your mouth among others. If you’re experiencing any of these it’s important to get to a dentist right away.
Treatment depends on the severity of the abscess. Usually, they’ll start by draining the pus and cleaning the infection, but in serious cases might have to perform a root canal to save the tooth. The sooner you get this dealt with the better chance you have to avoid extra work and save the tooth.
Chipped Tooth
Chipped teeth are pretty common, and can range in severity. A small chip is usually not an emergency, but a larger one potentially is. A major chip, or one that bleeds profusely, requires immediate attention. Also, if the chip is accompanied by severe, persistent pain you’ll likely need to get it looked at as soon as possible.
Without treatment you risk making it worse, and open yourself up to infection.
Lost Or Broken Crown
Another fairly common issue is a lost or broken crown, this too requires doctor intervention. The problem is the crown acts as a protector for your teeth. With it missing, it invites hosts of bacteria to attack your tooth, and potentially cause further damage. It can also be very painful and make your day miserable.
In most cases, if you’re able to save the crown the dentist can simply reattach it. This is a fairly simple process, and can be done quickly if you get to a dentist before infection is able to take hold.
Emergency Dental Care
Having a dental emergency on your trip is never fun. Don’t let that deter you though, as getting emergency dental help is not difficult, and many places have these services available. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency it’s important to seek treatment right away to prevent it from worsening. Untreated, many dental issues develop into full body issues, and can become life threatening. Do yourself a favour, and get it treated as soon as you can. If you need a recommendation, get started on preventive habits and care for your smile with the family dentistry in Queen creek.