Dental emergencies lead to thousands of dentist visits every year. Many of these emergencies are extremely painful, and bring unbearable discomfort to patients.
Here are the top two dental emergencies that people experience:
Knocked out tooth
This is a very scary situation, especially if it happens to a child. No one wants to see their tooth come out, and all the pain and blood that come with it are another story altogether. One of the most common causes of knocked out teeth is sporting accidents, especially in high intensity sports like football.
Although this is a serious dental emergency, the damage can be easily fixed. The key is to keep your mouth as clean, hydrated, and moist after the accident as possible. If the tooth comes out in front of you, you’re in luck. Collect the fallen tooth immediately and place it in a clean and disinfected container. Make sure that the tissue fragments are neither tampered nor removed—especially where the tooth has been knocked out.
Then, perform a simple mouth wash with a mild salt solution to keep the mouth clean. Take a painkiller if it hurts too much. Right after the pain subsides, take the tooth to a reliable dentist. Even if they can’t replace it, your dentist will suggest an alternative cosmetic procedure to fill in the gap.
Abscess
Abscesses are problems that need to be dealt with immediately, and almost always require immediate medical treatment. This is because they’re extremely painful and could lead to infections in other parts of the body.
Issues like abscesses occur among people whose sugar intake is high, and those who aren’t big on oral hygiene. Whenever excessive food particles get stuck between the teeth for long, bacterial action leads to acid production. This acid then leads to a swelling in the oral cavity that’s filled with puss.
Although the best way to deal with an abscess is to contact a dentist, you could also try and get temporary relief at home. Just rinse your mouth with mild saltwater. This will help relieve the pressure in the affected area.
The worst thing you could do to yourself during a dental emergency is self-medicate—it’ll only make things worse.
We suggest having an emergency dental service on speed dial. If you’re in West Hills, CA and your toothache has taken away the peace of your sleep, West Hills Smiles will always be one call away. Book an appointment through our website or call us at (818) 346-4303.