Gain essential knowledge on recognizing dental emergencies with Valley Circle Dental’s guide. This resource delves into various urgent dental situations, including toothaches and soft tissue injuries, to help you seek timely and effective treatment.

Soft Tissue Trauma

Participating in sports activities or holding rigid objects in the mouth can risk lacerations or punctures on the soft tissues in your mouth. That includes the lips, tongue, cheeks, frenum, and hard and soft palate. When any of these parts are injured, consider visiting your emergency dentist soon.

An emergency room visit can also be a good alternative. The most important thing is to have it managed as soon as possible. While waiting for your emergency appointment, try rinsing the affected area with warm water. Then, apply pressure to stop it from bleeding.

Chipped or Cracked Tooth

Using the teeth to open things is a common thing for most people. Unfortunately, this activity, along with harshly biting and chewing, could damage your teeth. The worst thing that could happen is getting a cracked or chipped tooth.

If this occurs, try to save your cracked or chipped tooth by cleaning it and preserving it in a glass of milk. Doing that can prevent the tooth fragment from drying out. Then visit your dentist immediately. They might be able to restore your broken tooth.

Loose or Knocked Out Tooth

Like the chipped or cracked tooth, the dentist might be able to do something with your loose or knocked-out tooth. A loose tooth can be tightened back, but it would require a quick visit to the dentist. Gently bite it down to keep it in place while you wait for treatment.

If it is completely knocked out, try to find the missing tooth and reinsert it to its original and correct position. If that option is not possible, consider placing it in a glass of milk and bringing it to your dentist during your emergency consultation.

An Intense Toothache

There are different types of toothaches. Some can be tolerable, but there is also that sudden pain that gets worse over time. If you get the latter type of toothache, you might want to meet with your dentist fast. You know the toothache is intense if a cold compress can no longer make the situation better. It could be because of a pulp infection or fragment getting stuck between your teeth that needs to be addressed ASAP.

Conclusion

It is easy to determine when you need to go to a hospital’s emergency room, but knowing if your dental issue is an emergency or not has been quite a challenge for many. Now that you know what is considered a dental emergency and what you should do when it happens, you can have a better grasp of your oral health. When these emergencies happen, remember not to panic. Instead, contact your trusted dentist immediately.

Valley Circle Family Dental is open 24/7 to meet your dental emergency needs in West Hills. We know that dental problems do not only happen during office hours on weekdays, and some issues cannot wait. We are ready to serve clients experiencing emergency dental issues. Contact us today at 818-888-8824 to book a service.