Have you been struck with a dental emergency?
From a young age, we’re taught to visit the dentist twice annually to maintain good oral hygiene. But, what we’re rarely taught is how to handle a sudden dental emergency. In order to best protect ourselves, it’s crucial to know the steps involved in dealing with such an emergency.
To help, we’re sharing our best dental emergency advice. Read on to learn our step-by-step guide on how to handle emergency dental care.
1. Identify What a Dental Emergency Is
First and foremost, you need to determine what is and what is not classified as a dental emergency.
For example, a dental emergency could be anything from a knocked-out tooth and a cracked tooth to a broken denture or a lost crown. If it’s something that you believe needs to be treated immediately, it would likely be classified as an emergency situation.
On the other hand, a practice such as cosmetic dentistry or teeth whitening wouldn’t require immediate attention.
2. Assess the Situation
Next, you’re going to need to carefully access the situation.
What happened and what are the symptoms that you’re experiencing? This information will be necessary for booking an emergency appointment with your dentist. In terms of a dental emergency, the more information that you can provide to the dental staff the better.
It’s also important to consider if the tooth was damaged or if you’re experiencing temporary tooth sensitivity. After all, 1 in 8 adults experiences general tooth sensitivity.
With this, it’s critical to remember that time is of the essence. You want to be speaking with your dentist and booking an appointment directly after the issue takes place.
3. Call Your Dentist
Once you’ve determined that you have a dental emergency, it’s absolutely crucial to contact your dentist and book an appointment immediately.
When it comes to a dental emergency, it’s safe to say that time is of the essence. Not only will your dentist book the next available appointment, but they’ll also give you instructions on how to proceed at that moment.
4. Proceed Accordingly
Of course, every dental emergency will require different follow-up actions.
Let’s take the example of a knocked-out tooth. When this happens, it’s crucial to store the tooth in a safe place. With this, you can bring the tooth to your pending appointment and proceed from there.
Again, your dentist will provide you with all of the necessary steps. This will help to make you as comfortable and stress-free as possible before your appointment.
5. Be Careful
Before your appointment, you’re going to want to ensure that you’re being as careful as possible.
If you’ve damaged a tooth, be sure to stick to soft foods and avoid sugary drinks. The goal is to avoid causing any further damage of discomfort to your tooth.
Dental Emergency 101
If you’ve experienced a dental emergency, you know firsthand the influx of panic that it may cause. When this happens, it’s important to act quickly and understand how to best proceed.
After all, the longer that you wait, the worse your dental condition is likely to become. Not only does this mean added discomfort, but it can also require a longer healing period.
To learn more about Besma Family Dental Centre’s emergency dental care in Welland and Dunnville or know what’s classified as a dental emergency, contact our team today.