Dental emergencies are nerve-wracking, but they are not uncommon. More than two million Americans visited hospital emergency departments for dental-related emergencies in 2018. Dental emergencies accounted for approximately 2.5% of emergency department visits in 2010, and they were the second most common discharge diagnosis among adults aged 20 to 39 years during the same year.
You don’t want to scramble for a course of action when any type of emergency strikes – especially if you’re in intense pain, and your decisions could spell the difference between a full recovery and a permanently lost tooth. You also want to avoid needless stress by not overreacting to non-emergencies!
Here are the most common dental emergencies, as well as a couple of issues that may be mistaken for dental emergencies, and what you should do when they happen.
Toothache
Let’s begin with an issue that doesn’t necessarily constitute an dental emergency. A toothache may be caused by a sudden or gradual fracture of the tooth, an inflammation within the tooth’s root, or buildup of debris between the teeth. While a toothache often indicates an underlying condition that must be addressed by a dentist in good time, its occurrence seldom warrants a midnight drive to the ER.
If you are experiencing a toothache, first rinse your mouth with warm water. Then floss any plaque or food particles that may have lodged between your teeth, take a non-prescription painkiller such as aspirin or acetaminophen, and apply a cold compress to your jaw. If discomfort persists, schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as you are able.
Broken or Fractured Tooth
Now let’s proceed to some actual dental emergencies, beginning with a cracked tooth. First rinse your mouth with warm water while gently cleaning away all dirt and other foreign debris from the injured area. Place a cold compress over the affected area of the jaw. Once you have stanched any potential bleeding with gauze, gather every tooth fragment and clean them with warm water.
If you see flesh poking out of the fracture in your tooth, seek emergency medical attention at once. Otherwise you may contact your dentist to schedule an emergency appointment as soon as possible. It is possible to reattach natural tooth fragments, but time is of the essence!
Knocked Out Tooth
An avulsed tooth may be successfully restored if you can secure emergency dental aid within 60 minutes. What you do in the meantime will do much to determine your outcome!
Locate the tooth at once, taking care only to touch it by its crown and not its root. Do not scrub a dirty avulsed tooth – gently rinse it in warm water instead. Still holding it by its crown, gently insert the tooth back into its socket (making certain that it is positioned in the correct direction). If you are unable to return your tooth to its socket, place it in milk, saline solution or your own saliva. If none of these fluids are available, substitute water.
Regardless of whether you can return the tooth to its socket or not, seek emergency care immediately.
Bleeding From Mouth
Contrary to popular belief, bleeding from the mouth rarely follows a cut or abrasion. It may result from gingivitis, periodontitis, or even cancer. But if you only bleed lightly from your mouth after flossing, do not be alarmed! That is relatively common among people who don’t floss frequently enough. (And we wouldn’t be a very good dental clinic if we didn’t remind you of the importance of regular flossing!)
Emergency care may not be necessary if bleeding from the mouth resulted from an injury. First tilt your head forward so that blood can drain from your mouth, as swallowing excessive blood can lead to vomiting. Once you have removed any foreign objects (including jewelry) from your mouth, firmly press sterile gauze down on the site of the oral injury. Apply steady pressure for 15 to 30 minutes, taking care to replace the gauze should it become soaked with blood. If the bleeding doesn’t subside in this amount of time, consult your dentist to determine whether emergency care is necessary.
If you continue to bleed from the site of recent dental work for several hours, immediately return to the dentist who performed the procedure – or, if they are unavailable, go to the emergency room.
Broken Braces or Other Orthodontic Appliances
Broken braces must ultimately be repaired by an orthodontist, but they do not always warrant emergency medical care. You may use a blunt instrument such as a pencil eraser to gently bend an offending wire until it no longer irritates surrounding soft tissues, as well as apply orthodontic wax to the wire so it is no longer sharp. But if a broken wire has pierced any of the soft tissues within the mouth, leave it in place and seek aid from an orthodontist at once!
Dislocated or Fractured Jaw
Severe jaw injuries are too serious to attempt treating at home. If you dislocate or fracture your jaw, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
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If you live in the greater Logan, Utah area and require any assistance during a dental emergency, Dr. Corey Hogge and the All About Teeth team are standing by to help. Please contact us today to schedule an emergency appointment, as well as to receive expert advice on how to handle any type of dental emergency.
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