When you have a toothache, how can you tell it is serious and needs urgent treatment, or if it can be handled at home? Knowing what qualifies as a dental emergency will make it easy for you to seek immediate emergency dental care near Katy, TX, and prevent further damage to your dental health.
A dental emergency is any injury or bruising that affects the teeth, gums, and surrounding soft tissues. Most dental accidents cause pain and swelling. However, it is possible to have an accident and not develop pain like in the case of broken dental restorations. The absence of pain is, at times, not an indication of when to seek out an emergency dentist near you.
When you have broken dental restorations like braces or bridges, you need to get emergency dental care in Katy, TX.
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It is worth noting that we have non-urgent dental emergencies that can wait for an appointment. It is crucial to differentiate between urgent and non-urgent dental accidents. The urgent dental emergencies include:
- Intense toothaches
Tooth pain can occur at any time like when you have food particles stuck in your gums. This pain, however, is mild and clear when you floss and remove the food particles, or when you rinse your mouth with mouthwash. But, there are times when you have intense and persistent toot pain that interferes with your daily activities.
This pain can occur in waves or continuously within a set period. Intense pain is mostly caused by decay and cavities. When the bacterial infection extends to the pulp cavity, it can cause throbbing pain and lingering tooth sensitivity.
You also develop pain if you have a toot fracture that extends to the nerves. It is not recommended to take pain medication without talking to the dentist first. Some of the pain medication can trigger gum inflammation and worsen the situation.
- Knocked-out teeth
Our teeth can get dislodged from the socket when we get hit by an object or fall. The teeth can get dislodged partially or completely dislodged. It is crucial to visit the dentist within the first hour of the accident. This gives them the time and opportunity to start treatment on time and preserve the teeth.
When your teeth get knocked out, first aid can go a long way in increasing the chances of saving your teeth. If the teeth are partially knocked out, try pushing the teeth back on the socket using the crown.
If the tooth completely comes out from the socket, it is important to preserve it. Pick the tooth and put it in a milk solution, and avoid wrapping it with tissue or paper.
Rinse your mouth with warm water to get rid of any particles and debris. Place a gauze pad to control bleeding and apply a cold compress on the cheek to prevent swelling.
- Bleeding gums
At times, you accidentally bruise your soft tissue on the gums and there will be slight bleeding. The gum bleeding, however, will last for only a few minutes. But, when you have persistent gum bleeding, you could have gum disease. Bacterial infection is the primary cause of periodontal disease and it causes gums to recede. This exposes the roots and causes the formation of gum pockets that trap bacteria. It is important to get emergency dental care in 77449 to prevent the infection from spreading.
- Abscess
When you have a dental bacterial infection, the body will activate the defence system to fight the infection. In turn, pus may accumulate in the gums, causing tooth abscess.
Dental abscesses are serious oral problems and need urgent treatment. Without proper treatment, the infection can spread to the surrounding tissues or bloodstream.
You can rinse the mouth with warm water mixed with salt to ease the pain.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies?
While dental accidents cannot be prevented entirely, you can reduce the severity of the trauma. Getting regular cleaning and fluoride treatments can strengthen the enamel and prevent dental cavities.
Furthermore, it is advisable to wear mouthguards when playing contact sports and if you suffer from bruxism.
Visit Charm Dental Katy for more information about dental emergencies and how you can prevent them.
