Dental Emergency Randolph MA

Knowing whether a specific incident qualifies as a true emergency dental emergency or not, and knowing what to do when you encounter one, can make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your teeth and smile. If you live long enough, you are likely to observe or experience some type of urgent dental problem.

What are common dental emergencies?

 Most dental problems have good outcomes, provided that you take the appropriate action and seek out dental care in a timely manner. The following are some common dental emergencies and how to handle them until you can reach your dentist or emergency dentist.

Broken Tooth

A broken tooth is more serious than a mere chip. You will know that a tooth is broken when you can see different-colored tooth components. You may be experiencing some degree of pain as well. Left untreated, a broken tooth can cause severe pain, swelling, and an infection, potentially leading to a medical emergency.

If your tooth becomes broken, seek out emergency dental care soon – in less than 24 hours. Until you receive treatment, stick to a diet of liquids or soft foods. Try to keep food particles out of the affected area. 

Abscessed Tooth

An abscessed tooth is a serious infection between the gums and a tooth, or at the root of a tooth. The most common causes are severe tooth decay, although problems like chipped or broken teeth, and gum disease can also cause an abscess.

Some symptoms of an abscessed tooth include:

• Pain when biting or chewing
• Foul breath
• Severe toothache
• A sore on the side of the gums nearest the tooth, resembling a bubble

If you believe that you have an abscessed tooth, contact your dentist as soon as possible for an emergency appointment. If you are in pain, they can provide pain relief. They may take x-rays of the affected area to determine the extent of the problem and recommend the appropriate treatment.

Bleeding Gums

If you should experience bleeding gums, or some type of trauma to the mouth, it may or may not represent a dental emergency. To be on the safe side, contact your dentist as soon as possible for their recommendations, particularly if your gums began bleeding after some type of accident.

Knocked Out Tooth

If you get a tooth knocked out, time is of the essence. So contact your dentist or emergency dentist as soon as possible for the best chance of saving the tooth. Until you receive help, do the following:

• Attempt to replace the tooth into its socket, taking care to orient it correctly and handling it only by the crown, or chewing surface.
• Make sure that the tooth is clean, but avoid scrubbing it. Run it under room temperature water before attempting to place it back into its socket.
• If you cannot but the tooth back into its socket, store it in cold milk and take it with you to your dentist.
• A knocked out tooth can also be placed between the inner cheek and gums until you receive emergency dental care.