Things to Do in a Dental Emergency

Have you ever passed an ìEmergency Dentistryî sign in your town and chuckled to yourself, unable to imagine what would cause a dental problem to become an emergency? Really, though, there are such things as dental emergencies. Don’t believe me? Think about the last time you had a toothache from a cavity. Now, imagine that the ache you had came on suddenly and that it was ten times worse because the cavity was so bad or because you actually chipped a tooth. That pain would be pretty much unbearable. I think that would constitute a dental emergency, for sure!

So, if you have an emergency, whether it involves a lost tooth, inflamed and sore gums, or a crown or filling that falls out of your mouth, you definitely need to contact a dentist in Essex right away. Because these problems are fairly common, many dentists actually have an emergency section and will be able to get you an appointment to fix the problem right away. Before you try anything on your own, then, get an emergency dentistry office on the phone and get an appointment for the first possible moment so that the problem can get fixed as soon as possible.

Next, you can start doing a few things to help the problem at home. One of the first things you should do if you’re in pain is to gargle and swish warm salt water. It’s an old grandma-style recipe, but it actually does work to dull lots of mouth and throat related pains. You can also take some over-the-counter medications to ease the pain; just be sure that you follow the directions.

If you know that the bottom layer of your tooth is exposed due to a chip, a cavity, or a lost filling or cap, you can actually cover it with a layer of sugar free gum or even wax. This will limit the dentin exposure to air, food, and drinks, which will also help ease the pain and keep you from being totally immobilized by your dental problem.

More serious problems like severe gum pain, swelling, or bleeding and lost teeth will need to be treated immediately. Gum problems might signal other health issues, and you might need antibiotics to keep an infection under control. If you have any of these problems, call a dentist in Essex and describe your symptoms so that the problem can be treated and fixed as soon as possible.