The Whole "Tooth" About Dental Emergencies
Your tooth fell out when you bit into a toffee, but it's Sunday afternoon and no dental surgery is open! Or you thought you could manage your toothache until tomorrow but now it's 1am and your tooth is throbbing! Or your pre-schooler jumped off the couch and knocked out his front tooth, but it's a public holiday! Dental emergencies can happen at any time.
What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency includes any trauma that affects the teeth and mouth including toothache, bleeding, infection and swelling.
Where to seek help with a dental emergency
Always get help as soon as possible. This increases your chances of saving the tooth/teeth, as well as preventing infections and making the situation worse. If it is outside regular dentist practice hours, contact your local hospital, dentist or clinic, or use Google to find an emergency dentist in your area.
What to do in a dental emergency
If your tooth has chipped or broken, try to keep any parts of the tooth and take them with you to the dentist. If a whole tooth has fallen out, take it along to the dentist as they may be able to put it back through a procedure called reimplantation. Transport the tooth in a small container of milk, or loosely wrap it in plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can reinsert the tooth into its socket and hold it in place until you get to the dentist. Hold the tooth by the crown, never by its roots.
Over-the-counter pain medication can be helpful in managing any pain until you can see an emergency dentist.
If you have an abscess, you need to seek immediate dental assistance. These pus-filled swellings can cause swelling of the face. They are caused by an infection inside a tooth, and will not heal themselves. You might also need antibiotics to help clear up the infection, but antibiotics alone cannot cure an abscess so it is important to seek dental help.
If you have any of the following symptoms along with your mouth problems, contact a healthcare professional immediately:
- difficulty talking or swallowing
- swollen lymph glands in your neck
- a body temperature over 38oC
Preventing a dental emergency
It is not possible to prevent all emergencies, but precautions can be taken in order to minimise the chances of a dental trauma.
- Wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports
- Practise good oral hygiene habits, by brushing twice a day with good-quality fluoride toothpaste
- Have regular dental check-ups
- Use antibacterial mouthwash
- Cut back or quit smoking
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