What constitutes a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies can happen to anyone at any time. You might bite into a caramel apple and instantly know something’s not right, or you could suddenly be side-swiped by a basketball. Even a hard sneeze can affect fillings and other dental materials that may be in your mouth. So, what exactly constitutes a dental emergency? Below you’ll find the most common answers to this question.

A Knocked-Out Tooth

Regardless of why it happens, a tooth that’s knocked out is a dental emergency because you only have a limited time to act if you want to increase your odds of having the tooth saved. The first thing to do is to find and save the knocked-out tooth. One of our dental professionals can determine if it can be reattached. Also with a knocked-out tooth, take the following steps:

• Rinse it off
• Keep it moist – e.g., in a paper cup with water
• Keep the root intact

A Fractured/Cracked Tooth

Even a small crack can make the affected tooth more susceptible to additional damage. If a tooth fracture or crack is causing you discomfort, take some over-the-counter pain medication until you can come to see us. Applying ice packs to the affected area can also help ease discomfort by reducing facial swelling you may be experiencing. Cracks or chips are often treated with a tooth-colored filling or crown.

Loss of a Temporary Dental Crown

Speaking of crowns, consider the loss of a temporary dental crown an emergency since the sudden lack of a crown can expose the affected tooth to bacteria and other risks. If you feel that a crown is slipping off or becoming loose, we recommend you take the following actions:

• Attempt to catch it before it falls off completely
• Dab some petroleum jelly on the back of it
• Gently put the crown back in place and call us to schedule an appointment
• Avoid biting down too hard until your crown is properly repaired or replaced

Infected or Painful Teeth

We can determine what’s causing your discomfort should you suddenly experience tooth pain and take the necessary steps to resolve it. Teeth that are becoming increasingly painful could also be infected. Because only a dentist can tell for sure if this is the case, it’s important to schedule an appointment ASAP if you have painful teeth.

In some instance, a tooth abscess develops. Symptoms related to a tooth abscess include:

• A throbbing toothache
• Pain that radiates into your jawbone, neck, or ear
• Sensitivity to pressure from chewing or biting
• Cheek/facial swelling
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or jaw area
• Salty, foul-tasting fluid in the mouth
• Fever

Jaw Pain

A hard impact from a fall is just one possible source of the type of jaw pain that can be considered a dental emergency. If you notice facial swelling, apply ice to the affected area. Also, avoid solid foods until you can visit us to find out what’s causing your jaw pain. Jawbone pain can also be related to a temporomandibular (TMJ) disorder. Dental conditions that may contribute to jaw pain include:

• Gum disease
• Damaged teeth
• Abscesses
• Cavities
• Tooth gaps

A dental emergency isn’t limited to what’s discussed here. Learn more here about how to find the best emergency dental service for you. Anything that causes you discomfort within your mouth or jaw area that’s either not going away fairly quickly or getting increasingly worse should be considered reason enough to come in to see what’s going on. Contact us today to learn more about our emergency and routine dental services.