An emergency dentist will show up for you, even when your dental emergency happens at the worst possible time. Dental emergencies are rarely life-threatening. But they are painful enough to require emergency dental care. In some cases, timely dental care will make the difference between a restored tooth and the complete loss of your natural tooth.
That is why you should know when you need an emergency dentist and where to find one.
What qualifies as a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any situation that causes extreme pain in the mouth or any incident that has the potential to cause irreparable damage if not treated immediately. An emergency dentist is equipped to treat a wide array of urgent dental problems on short notice. Reasons one should seek an emergency dentist include:
- A tooth that has been knocked loose or completely knocked out
- A broken or fractured tooth
- A swollen mouth
- Severe toothache that may be accompanied by swelling, bleeding and/or pus
- An injury that causes the jaw to hurt
- Soft tissue injury
These emergencies can result in a bad outcome if they are not dealt with in a timely manner. Take an infection as an example. Delayed treatment can be life-threatening. With a knocked out tooth, a person will need to see a dentist within an hour of the incident since it may still be possible to reattach the tooth during this period. Otherwise, the person will need an implant to replace the tooth.
What to do in a dental emergency
If a dental emergency is caused by an injury, there is likely to be some bleeding. Rinse out the mouth and see the emergency dentist immediately. In case of an injury to the jaw or soft tissue, apply ice to the affected area to manage the pain and swelling.
If the emergency is caused by a severe toothache, again, rush to the emergency dentist. It the tooth is dislodged on knocked out, rinse the tooth and try to put it back in position. Then, rush to the dentist.
How and where to find an emergency dentist
Start by looking on the internet or asking friends for a referral. The search should result in a list of emergency dentists that are close by. Thin the list by checking that the dentists are certified by the relevant state licensing board. Find reviews for each dentist and go for the ones with many happy patients. Also, find out how much experience each dentist has.
Finally, call the dentists on the shortlist and confirm that they are available on a 24/7 basis.
A reputable, experienced emergency dentist will have a clean, well-equipped practice that is in a convenient location. They will likely have a website that clearly states their office hours and emergency contact information for after-hours. Some emergency dentists have an online scheduling system that allows patients to make an emergency appointment.
It pays to have an emergency dentist on speed dial
Emergencies happen without warning, often at the most inconvenient time, which is why you should prepare for the unforeseen by keeping the number of an emergency dentist on hand.
Our practice in Benicia offers emergency dental care, whether at night or over the weekend. If you live in this area, get in touch with us using the contact numbers listed here. We will offer the urgent care that you need.
Request an appointment here: https://beniciadentist.com or call Southampton Dental Care at (707) 887-5075 for an appointment in our Benicia office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
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