Keeping up a good oral hygiene routine and seeing your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups is all necessary to keep your dental health in excellent condition. However, despite best efforts, emergencies can happen unexpectedly. Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell if something is an emergency or if it can wait till your next visit. In the following cases, you should give your dentist a call to get urgent care.
Chipped/Broken Tooth
One of the most common reasons that people seek emergency dental care is due to a chipped or broken tooth. Tooth enamel is incredibly durable, but it isn’t indestructible. Teeth can chip and break if you bite down on something too hard, grind your teeth, or forget to wear your mouthguard while participating in sports. If the chip is small and doesn’t hurt, you don’t need to rush to the dental office, but you should still schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience. Large breaks and fractures need immediate attention. When a tooth breaks, the nerve inside the tooth becomes exposed, resulting in significant pain. If you feel discomfort, call your dentist right away.
Abscessed Tooth
Abscessed teeth are incredibly painful. They require urgent attention when they occur. This is what happens when a pocket of put in the tooth has left to an infection. This can result in a persistent toothache, tender lymph nodes in the neck, fever, tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, a pimple-like bump on the gums near the infected tooth, and swelling of the face. An abscessed tooth is a dental emergency because it is possible for the infection to spread to other areas of the body. Saltwater rinses can be used until your visit to relieve discomfort.
Toothaches
If you have a nagging toothache that isn’t subsiding, this typically means that something isn’t right. There could be decay, an infection, or another issue going on. Give your dentist a call so you can be seen as soon as possible. In the meantime, there are some at-home remedies you can use to try to relieve discomfort. This includes using a cold compress and a saltwater rinse. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also be used until your visit.
You shouldn’t put off essential dental care! If you aren’t sure if your situation counts as an emergency, give your dentist a call anyway to let them know what’s going on. They can give you further instructions from there.
About the Practice
At Roswell Modern Dentistry, Dr. Ashish Kakadia and Dr. Mohit Kataria work together to treat patients in the Roswell community. With their combined experience and expertise, patients can get pretty much anything they need under one roof. They offer same-day appointments as well as walk-ins for emergency patients. To learn more about emergency dentistry or to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (770) 525-9140.
