Reasons to Seek Emergency Dental Care

People can often have a hard time figuring out when to seek emergency dental care. There are many reasons for this. For starters, going to an emergency dentist is often more expensive than scheduling an appointment during regular clinic hours. Also, many people have busy schedules which means finding time to take care of a dental emergency can be quite a challenge for some.

Just like other parts of the body like the arms and legs, a person's teeth are also a vital part of his or her anatomy. The same way a person needs to see a doctor when pressing issues such as a broken arm occurs, some dental injuries require immediate treatment to prevent unnecessary suffering and prevent more substantial complications from developing.

What constitutes a dental emergency?

Here are a few reasons why a person might need the services of an emergency dentist:

1. A severe crack or break

When a tooth becomes badly damaged because of a severe break of crack, it is vital to have it looked at by an oral professional. A tooth can become cracked or broken due to simple things like chewing on hard foods and candies like Jawbreakers or trauma caused by physical activities. When a tooth becomes cracked or broken, the nerves inside become exposed to the irritants in the person's mouth like bacteria and food particles. The result is nerve damage that can be very painful to live with while going through day to day life. In this scenario, it is best to seek emergency dental care immediately.

2. A knocked out tooth

Regardless of the reason why a tooth becomes knocked out, like an accident or sports injury, that certainly qualifies as an emergency situation. The first thing one should do when a tooth becomes knocked out is to try to put it back in its socket. If possible, the tooth should be held in place until an emergency dentist can examine it. A wet tea bag or piece of gauze can be used to do this.

If the tooth cannot be reinserted into the socket, it is best to keep it in a container that contains milk or the person's saliva. In many cases, the dentist can still reinsert the tooth, so patients should do everything in their power to preserve it before a dentist can take a look at the injury.

3. An infection

Most patients do not need to be told they need emergency dental care when an infection develops. The pain associated with an infected tooth is enough to send even people with high pain tolerance straight to the dentist's clinic. Other symptoms of tooth infections include a swollen face, pus coming out of the tooth, and pain in the cheeks and ears.

A tooth infection is considered a serious medical condition that can quickly spread to other parts of the body like the brain and liver if it is not addressed promptly.  There is no good reason to be worried about visiting an emergency dentist when dealing with an infection.

Contact us so we can help you through your dental emergency

Wondering if your current dental issue requires an emergency dentist? Contact one of our dentists today!

Request a dental appointment here: https://alexoldtowndental.com or call Alexandria Old Town Dental at (703) 763-1078 for an appointment in our Alexandria dental office.