What is a Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies resolve non-life-threatening problems that may be causing you significant pain or discomfort or need to happen promptly to save your teeth.
5 Common Types of Dental Emergencies
Wolter Advanced Dental Care in Chambersburg, PA commonly treats the following emergencies:
1. Knocked-out tooth:
Getting your tooth knocked out is a painful experience. If you do not want to lose your teeth permanently contact our office quickly. If you have the knocked-out tooth with you, put it in a glass of milk. Try not to touch the teeth’s roots, the top of the tooth, or the crown if there’s one on it when picking it up. Leave your tooth alone and do not attempt to clean or rinse the tooth off with chemicals.
The longer the tooth stays out of the mouth, the harder it will be to save it so try to be at your dentist within 30 minutes of the accident or you might need a replacement. If reinserting the tooth is not possible, Wolter ADC has modern technology that will have your smile back to normal as you walk out of our door.
2. Toothache/ Extreme sensitivity/ nerve pain:
Although you will most likely be okay, severe dental pain is a sign that your oral health is at risk. It can be caused by a possible cavity or even teeth grinding. If you happen to have a toothache, rinse your mouth out with warm water and floss the area to see if any food or anything else might be stuck that is causing irritation. To reduce any swelling, use an ice pack and take pain medication if it worsens.
Extreme sensitivity and nerve pain are extremely painful experiences that will only get worse if you delay treatment. To prevent infections, further nerve damage, or more extensive dental treatments down the road, seek emergency dental assistance as soon as possible.
3. Bleeding and pain after tooth extraction:
It Is normal to experience some post-procedure discomfort and bleeding after tooth extraction. However, if it persists for more than 24-36 hours it is time to give us a call. In the meantime, apply pressure to the affected area with gauze.
If you had a tooth extracted, the following circumstances indicate a dental emergency:
- Heavy bleeding that does not respond to pressure
- Severe pain that does not stop with prescribed pain medication
- Signs of infection such as fever, chills, redness, swelling, and oozing at the extraction site.
- Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, or shortness of breath
4. Losing fillings or crowns:
- If your dental filling cracks or falls out, this is a dental emergency because your tooth is left unprotected and may break or chip without the strength fillings provide. If the filling was deep enough into your tooth, losing the filling may expose the tooth’s nerves and cause severe sensitivity.
- A dental crown protects your tooth from infection and damage. All of that protection is lost when a crown is lost or broken. By scheduling an emergency dental visit to replace the crown, you may be able to avoid needing a root canal or even a tooth extraction.
5. Swollen gums, mouth, or jaw:
- Occasional gum irritation or gum bleeding that stops are signs of some oral health issues but are not considered emergencies. However, if your gums do not stop bleeding, especially if accompanied by pain and swelling, you may want to call us for an emergency exam. It is also not normal to have bleeding gums without any obvious cause or trauma.
- If your mouth or jaw suddenly becomes swollen without a visible reason, you may have an infection, irritation to your lymph nodes, or some other factor that should be treated right away.
What Are Some Things I Can Do To Avoid Dental Emergencies?
It is very easy to chip your teeth so try the following to prevent dental emergencies:
- Use a mouthguard when playing extreme sports
- Maintain a good oral health
- Moderate your diet
- Mindful chewing
- Do not use your teeth unwisely (ex. open bottles, tear things etc.)
- Take vitamins
- Use the correct device to floss your teeth
What Emergency Services Are Available For Me?
Whether you are a new patient or a returning patient, Wolter Advanced Dental Care is happy to serve you and take care of your dental emergency. The following services are available:
- Toothache Relief
- Sore Or Swollen Gum Relief
- Swollen Jaw Relief
- Cracked Or Knocked Out Tooth
- Repair Of Lost Or Loose Fillings
- Root Canal Therapy For Abscess Or Nerve Sensitivity
- Dental Repair
If you encounter a dental emergency give us a call at (717) 496-9093 immediately.
