In 2021 it was reported that the U.S. dental market was estimated to be worth roughly $47.16 billion. This goes to show that the dentist is still as important as ever, but when it comes to teeth problems, what are the most common dental emergencies?
Dental emergencies can be a real problem, and they need proper treatment, or else they can get worse. The key to a tooth emergency is being able to spot them quickly.
However, not everyone is familiar with recognizing a teeth emergency. The good news is that we have created a dental guide on 7 of the most common dental emergencies.
So if you would like to learn about the top dental emergencies, then keep reading.
1. Knocked Out Tooth
One of the most common forms of dental emergencies is if you have knocked out a tooth. Unfortunately, teeth can get knocked out through sports or some sort of trauma to the mouth.
When this happens, you must seek dental treatment immediately. You should aim to get dental treatment within one hour, and in some cases, they may be able to put the tooth back in.
It’s important not to touch the area where the tooth is missing or remove fragments. Instead, you should leave the area alone until the dentist sees it. If the tooth has already come out, then put it in some water with a pinch of salt to preserve it.
2. An Abscess
Abscesses can be very painful, and they can often create an irritating feeling in your mouth. Abscesses are serious infections, and if they are left untreated, then they can start to spread around your mouth and to other teeth.
This can cause even more infection and begin to cause more complications in your mouth.
That’s why you need to get treatment for it as soon as you can. You can check your gums for a pimple-like swollen spot to confirm that it is an abscess.
3. Broken Tooth
Teeth can become broken for a wide range of reasons. This can be because the tooth was already cracked and weak or perhaps the tooth broke from some sort of trauma.
If possible, you should try to get the part of your tooth that is broken so that the dentist can reattach it. However, in most cases, a dentist will be able to repair your tooth for you, whether it is chipped, cracked, or broken.
It’s also important that you don’t bite down on your teeth to cause further damage. You can rinse your mouth out with warm water and lightly apply a piece of gauze to the area where your tooth was bleeding.
4. Toothache
Toothache can come at any time, and it can come in a wide range of different ways. For example, your toothache may range from annoying to painful and it can stay for short or long periods.
Toothache can indicate that you have underlying problems, including tooth decay or nerve damage. The best thing you can do is to get to the dentist to take a closer look.
The quicker you get to the dentist the quicker they can sort out the problem for you and treat your toothache.
5. Lost Filling or Crown
A lost filling or crown can be a serious problem, particularly if they are left out for a while. A filling or crown is there to help support the teeth that are underneath.
If this is removed then the foundation of the tooth may be at risk as well as there being a risk of infection. When this happens, you should avoid touching or interfering with the tooth as this can cause further damage.
Instead, you can try to find the crown and safely put it in a zip-top bag ready for the dentist. However, if you can’t find it, you should still seek help from your nearby emergency dentist.
6. Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums can be caused by the aftermath of tooth extraction, gum disease, or because of trauma that your gums have taken. No matter what reason your gums are bleeding, you must get to an emergency dentist quickly.
If you don’t get there, then your gum issues may get worse. Also, bleeding can be a sign of an open wound which could be open to infection.
The dentist will inspect your tooth to see if it’s just a minor issue or if it is more serious. If it turns out that you have gum disease, you need to be treated as early as possible to reverse it.
If it’s left too late then it can be a lot more difficult to treat and cause problems.
7. Swollen Jaw or Mouth
Sometimes our mouths can start to develop swelling, which can cause a lot of discomfort. However, this is a big sign that there is an underlying problem.
You may have hurt your jaw or harmed it during physical activity or From trauma. Either way, you must find out what’s causing the swelling.
A dentist may need to take an X-ray to make sure that there is no bone damage. In the meantime, you can lightly apply a cold compress to the affected area to help reduce the swelling.
The dentist may also prescribe you some painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication.
Understanding Dental Emergencies
In an ideal world, our teeth would always be perfect, and we wouldn’t have any dental emergencies. However, from time to time our teeth can cause us discomfort and problems.
The important thing is to know when it’s time to visit the emergency dentist by paying attention to the signs covered in this article.
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