Dental emergencies are more common than you might think. Simply put, a dental emergency is any dental issue that requires immediate attention. It is important to note the difference between dental emergencies and other medical emergencies. If an injury or issue is not limited to the teeth and gums or if an emergency is life-threatening, the correct course of action is to head to an emergency room at a hospital or call 911 for emergency response. But for dental ailments, it is important to understand how to find an emergency dentist and when it is time to call an emergency dentist. In this article, we will cover the different types of dental emergencies/ If you live in Chicago and need a same-day dental team to help you with a dental ailment, please contact our team.
What Is A Non-Urgent Dental Emergency?
It is a bit of a misnomer or an oxymoron to hear the phrase “non-urgent emergency”. However some patients might notice a dental concern that doesn’t require immediate attention but should be addressed relatively soon. A non-urgent dental issue could be superficial damage to a tooth. If a tooth is cracked or chipped but you are not experiencing pain and the tooth dentin/pulp/nerves aren’t exposed the damage should be addressed but you might be able to wait a day or two. Another example of a dental issue that requires attention shortly would be a toothache that goes away or bleeding/puffy gums. If you experience a toothache that seems to go away after a few hours or a day, you might think that it isn’t a big deal. But even a temporary toothache might be a sign of an underlying issue. Instead of waiting weeks or months to see a dentist, you should try and see one shortly.
Urgent Dental Emergencies:
There are many types of urgent dental emergencies. However, it can be easier to understand them in two main categories: damage to the teeth/gums and damage to dental components like a bridge/filling/implant. The first group covers any immediate damage to a tooth or the gums. For example, if you experience a sports injury where a tooth is broken, cracked, or fully knocked out, you need to see the dentist as quickly as possible. If possible, bring the tooth fragment or knocked-out tooth with you. Ideally, a tooth should be lightly rinsed off and held inside the mouth to keep it preserved. If this is not possible, there are tooth-saving kits that use saline that you can submerge a tooth in on the way to the dental office. If a tooth is properly cared for and the patient arrives at the office quickly it is sometimes possible to re-implant the tooth.
The other urgent dental emergencies to be aware of are damage to things like fillings, crowns, bridges, etc. When one of these is damaged, loose, or lost, it needs to be replaced quickly. Otherwise, there could be significant damage to the remainder of the tooth or teeth nearby. For example, if a filling falls out food or other debris can get into the cavity and cause an infection.
Dental Services in Chicago
If you live in the Chicago area and need a dentist for any reason from a regular check-up to an emergency, we can help. Visit our website for more information. https://www.dentaltownchicago.com/