Most Common Dental Emergencies And How to Prevent Them

August 22, 2022 by Salt Lake Dental
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Few things hurt as much as a toothache, but how do you know when to go to the dentist in Salt Lake City? Experts in health and wellness say that people should visit the dentist at least once every six months unless they have a dental emergency.

Here are the most common dental emergencies and what you can do to avoid them:

 

1. Pain in the mouth or teeth

When you think of a dental emergency requiring a dentist trip, you probably picture a toothache or mouth pain that hurts a lot. Most dental emergencies are caused by pain that is too much to bear. Patients go to their doctor not only because they are in pain but also because they are worried about something else. A toothache could be caused by a cyst, an infection, a cavity, or a stuck wisdom tooth. It could also be caused by periodontal disease or a stuck wisdom tooth. There are a lot of possible outcomes. And most of them would need to have their wisdom teeth taken out by a good dentist.

If your tooth pain doesn’t go away, you should see your dentist or an emergency dentist. If you ignore tooth pain, it could worsen and cause you to lose a tooth. You can avoid tooth pain by visiting the dentist regularly with a trusted provider. If you have a toothache, try putting a cold pack on it to reduce swelling and the pain that comes with it. Take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever that you can buy over the counter. This will help you feel better while you wait to see your dentist.

2. Broken Tooth

Another common reason people go to the dentist is that they broke a tooth. You could break a tooth by playing sports, having an accident, falling, or getting into a fight. The enamel on your teeth keeps them from breaking, but it can still happen.

Make an effort to keep any pieces of a broken tooth. Your dentist might be able to use these to help fix the tooth. Rinse your mouth out with warm water and call your dentist right away.

If you break a tooth, you should go to the dentist immediately to stop more damage. Also, it might hurt, but going to the dentist in Salt Lake City, UT right away can ease the pain. Your dentist might suggest some of the following solutions:

  • Dental Implant
  • Crowns, fillings, and root canals for teeth

 Protect Your Teeth

Wear helmets and other head protection, and use safety belts when you travel. Please don’t use your teeth for anything other than what they were made for, and take care of them to keep your smile healthy and bright. If you break or lose a tooth, put a clean gauze pad on the area to stop bleeding and a cold pack on your face to relieve pain until you can see your doctor. If your false teeth are broken, you may need to take them to a dentist who can fix them.

3. Facial Trauma

In the same way, you could get chipped or cracked teeth from something like an accident that hurts your face. Treat these situations as urgently as if you had broken a tooth. Cracks and chips can hurt and damage nerves. You should see your dentist as soon as possible to avoid more damage or problems.

During contact sports and other types of physical activity, wear the right safety gear to avoid these kinds of accidents. If you want a beautiful smile, you might need a cosmetic dentist.

4. Tooth Knocked Out

Some accidents cause people to lose teeth. Losing a tooth can be painful and upsetting for your whole mouth. Keep the tooth and put it in a clean, moist place until you can see your dentist. Some say that you should keep the tooth in your mouth, inside your cheek, to keep it moist and warm. However, you could swallow the tooth by accident if you do this. Wrap the tooth in a damp paper towel or napkin and go straight to the dentist. This is a dental emergency.

5. Lost Filling

Do you have a missing filling? This is another emergency at the dentist. Without the filling, your tooth is more likely to get hurt or infected because of a hole. If a cavity gets loose for some reason, like when you eat hard foods, it could fall out. Save the filling for the dentist if you don’t swallow it.

The missing filling will need to be fixed by the dentist so that it doesn’t get full of food and bacteria. You can buy temporary fillings at a pharmacy to keep the cavity hole clean until you can see your dentist for a filling or, depending on how bad your tooth is, a crown.

6. Abscess

If you have a tooth abscess, you have an infection and need to go to the dentist immediately. An abscess could cause a painful spot on your gum that feels like a small cyst or pimple. These are full of germs and infections, so rinse your mouth with warm salt water and go to the dentist immediately. The saltwater will draw the germs and bacteria out of the abscess and help ease some of the pain.

See your dentist as soon as possible because a tooth infection can get into your bloodstream and spread to other vital organs. This can cause sepsis, which can kill the person.

7. Bleeding Gums

Are your gums bleeding? Even though gums often bleed when you floss, you should call the dentist in Salt Lake City, UT if you see a lot of blood. Gum disease could be the cause of bleeding gums, which could lead to permanent tooth loss if not treated. If you have advanced gum disease, your gums will bleed, swell, be red, and hurt.

What can you do to stop this from happening? Start by going to the dentist at least once every six months to a year. Also, make sure to brush and floss every day. The only way to stop tartar, which turns into plaque, from building up is to floss. Plaque that builds up between teeth can lead to gum disease. If you see blood on your toothbrush, don’t just ignore it. Call your dentist.

8. Mobile Teeth

You may have noticed that one or more of your teeth are loose or moving around. Do you need to go to the emergency dentist? In reality, many things can loosen a tooth, and some may feel like they are getting tighter on their own. But if your adult teeth are loose and you think they might fall out, you should call the dentist immediately to be seen. Most of the time, they can “splinter” the tooth by attaching it to a more vital tooth nearby until it gets firmer and less wiggly.

Once you lose an adult tooth, you can never get it back. If you have a problem with your teeth and need help, our experienced dentists can help and guide you. 

9. Face and Gums Swelling

Call the dentist if you wake up with a swollen face or sore gums. This could mean you have an abscess or a bad tooth. A doctor should check out face swelling that causes throbbing pain, swollen glands, and trouble swallowing. Call Salt Lake Dental in Salt Lake City, UT for the best dental emergency care in the area nearby.