OMG, My Tooth Cracked! Who Addresses Dental Emergencies?

Have you ever been hit in the head with a soccer ball in the mouth? Or in any sports activity for that matter? If your teeth become damaged, that’s what’s known as a dental emergency! Most patients would assume to go to the emergency room if they’re in pain. In most cases though, if their problem is mainly concerning their mouth, the ER will refer them back to their dentist. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving your natural teeth. When a dental emergency strikes, you need to know how to handle accidents that affect your teeth until you can reach your emergency dentist.

If it’s concerning your smile, call your dentist first!

Many patients don’t know what exactly a dental emergency entails. A dental emergency constitutes as any problem in or around your mouth that causes you to be in pain. If a broken or knocked out tooth came to mind, that’s exactly right! That would constitute a dental emergency as well as soft tissues in your mouth become severely damaged.

Of course, there are certain dental emergencies that are more urgent than others. It’s important to be able to decipher which is more urgent than another.

The following are what your dentist would consider to be urgent dental emergencies:

• Persistent bleeding.
• Knocked out tooth.
• Jaw injury.
• Swelling that won’t go down.
• Severe toothache.

These dental emergencies don’t necessarily need to be rushed to a dental practice, but you should still call to make an appointment:

• Lost dental restorations (dental crown, fillings, or bridges).
• Cracked tooth (unless it’s causing severe pain).
• Broken retainers or mouthguards.
• Moderate toothaches.

Sometimes, you need to visit the ER.

Undoubtedly, we would hope that everyone would first call their dentist for assistance with any oral health issue. But, there are always exceptions to the rule in which we would recommend reaching out to your nearest emergency room.

For example, if you are experiencing a dental injury from slipping and hitting your head and losing a few teeth in the process, definitely visit the ER first to have your head and any excessive bleeding addressed first. Your dentist can always work with you later to replace your missing teeth with restorative dentistry.

Stay calm and address your dental emergency until you make it to your dentist.

You should always maintain your dental emergency as best as you can until arriving at your dental practice. Here’s the best bit of advice we can give you: No matter what kind of emergency you’re having, it’s important to stay calm!

The following are suggestions that may help you during a dental emergency at home:

• Use a mixture of salt and water to relieve irritation and cleanse swelling in your mouth.
• If a tooth is knocked out, retrieve it and preserve it in a glass of milk until you can get to your dentist.
• Use a cold compress to help reduce swelling, numb a painful area, and apply pressure to stop bleeding.

Now that you have a better idea of how to handle an unexpected dental issue, you can manage until visiting your dentist or reach out to the appropriate resources.

Meet Your Emergency Dentist

When you have a pressing dental accident, it’s important to reach out to an educated dentist that’s always striving to better herself and her practice. Dr. Erin Prach has continued her education since opening her practice in 2015 to stay up to date with the most modern forms of oral surgery and restorative dentistry.

Not to mention, if you have a dental emergency you can receive a free limited dental exam and all your necessary dental x-rays to address your particular issue. Need help saving your smile? Call us at (307) 439-6881 to schedule an appointment, or if you’re a current patient and have an afterhours emergency, call (307) 337-4742.