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Dental Emergencies Greenbelt MD
Cherrywood Dental • Jan 19, 2019
Life is full of unexpected situations, and when something happens to your mouth or teeth, it can send your world spinning out of control. Whether it’s a broken tooth, injury, or more, dental emergencies should be cared for immediately. But how do you know what is a dental emergency and what isn’t? Read on to find out everything you need to know about dental emergencies, how to prevent them, and when to know it’s time to seek help. Cherrywood Dental has worked with plenty of Dental Emergencies in Greenbelt MD
to help you.
Types of Dental Emergencies in Greenbelt MD and How to Care for Them
The mouth is used almost every second of the day and it’s a sensitive area that can be easily injured or damaged in a variety of ways. While damage can occur to your teeth and mouth over time because of diet, age, lifestyle behaviors, and more, much more immediate consequences occur in a dental emergency. There is a multitude of ways in which you can suddenly injury your mouth or teeth, which should be cared for by dental professionals.
When life happens, your mouth, gums, and teeth can get in the way. The next thing you know, you are in pain and wondering if it’s time to seek the help of your dentist. Here are just a few of the types of dental emergencies you can experience.
Sports or Recreational Injury
While you’re playing sports or having fun, the face is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body. When hit with the proper amount of force, you could suffer from injuries to the teeth, jaw, and more. Your dentist will often use x-ray images to check your mouth for misalignment, fractures, and soft tissue damage. Help should be sought for any injury to the face and mouth following an accident.
If you believe you’ve suffered from a sports injury to the mouth, save any pieces of teeth that may have broken, stop any bleeding with gauze, and seek medical attention.
Cracked, Chipped, or Broken Teeth
Whether it’s because you bit into something hard or knocked your tooth on something, cracking or breaking your tooth can cause a world of pain. Your teeth are filled with an entire network of nerves that will cause you pain when damaged. Teeth that are damaged in this way must be dealt with right away, to prevent infection and other serious complications like tooth decay and loss.
For cracked or chipped teeth, rinse your mouth out with warm water and use cold/hot compresses to alleviate swelling and pain. For broken teeth, save any pieces of the tooth you can and keep all areas of your mouth clean with warm water and gauze. This out of all occasions must be the most common of the Dental Emergencies in Greenbelt MD that we deal with.
Failed Dental Work
If you are experiencing difficulty with dental work you’ve had in the past, like bridges, crowns, implants, or fillings, it could be considered an emergency. When dental work fails, it can be painful, hard to chew or eat, and may even cause other problems with your oral health. Any injury or damage to dental work should be cared for right away.
Save any pieces of dental work you can, like pieces of your bridge, filling, or crown. Do not try to replace your bridge or crown if it is damaged or injured. You may also need to take special care if this emergency has left uneven, jagged pieces in your mouth.
Knocked Out or Loose Tooth
Losing a tooth all together can be painful, but also scary. With quick-thinking however, this emergency doesn’t have to be a disaster. If you lose your tooth completely, keep it moist at all times by placing it in a glass of salt water or milk. If one or more of your teeth are loose, it could be the result of soft tissue damage or injury along the roots or gum line. Adult, permanent teeth should never be loose and should be examined and cared for immediately.
Tissue or Jaw Injuries
Decay, injuries, and damage to the teeth are painful, uncomfortable and even unsightly. But possible injuries or damage to your gum line, cheeks, jaw, and even neck can be extremely dangerous when not cared for properly. Injury and/or pain in the jaw, cheeks, or neck should be looked at immediately, as well as lesions and lumps.
If you’ve suffered an injury to the jaw, move it as little as possible until you can seek help. For soft tissue injuries, apply gauze to the area, use salt water rinses to clean your mouth, and use cold/hot compresses to alleviate pain.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
While it is true that accidents happen and some things are simply unavoidable, there are some things you can do to prevent dental emergencies from occurring. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you avoid your next emergency visit to the dentist:
- Keep up with routine dental exams, cleanings, and x-rays to help your dental team determine and find any problems that may cause emergency situations in the future.
- Avoid using your teeth to open things or chomp down on hard materials. Be aware of possible situations that may harm your teeth or mouth. You may also consider addressing any issues you may have with grinding or clenching.
- Practice healthy lifestyle behaviors like eating a nutritious diet, avoiding tobacco use, and practicing good oral hygiene habits.
- Protect your teeth from possible injuries by using mouthguards.
When to Know It’s Time to Call the Office
It can be hard to determine the right time to call your dentist with an emergency or problem. Though some situations may not be considered dental emergencies, it is still best to seek the advice and knowledge of your dental team with any and all mouth-related concerns. Your dental team will want to hear from you immediately if you are experiencing/have experienced any of the following:
- A missing/knocked-out tooth, as well as misalignment and/or sudden changes in your teeth
- A cracked or broken tooth that is causing severe pain
- Unexplained, severe pain in teeth, gums, jaw, or neck that persists and does not go away (especially when accompanied by fever)
- Sports-related, accidental injury to the face, mouth, or teeth
- Dental work that has failed, is missing or is causing pain
Any severe, unmanageable pain, fevers, or obvious injury should be an indication to call the office and seek the help of your dentist right away!
At Cherrywood Dental Associates, we take pride in caring for each and every one of your dental needs. From start to finish, we’re here to help you get the most out of your oral health. Contact us today to see how we can help with your dental emergency and begin you on your path to a healthier, more beautiful smile. We have extensive experience with Dental Emergencies in Greenbelt MD