Dealing with a Dental Emergency
You understand what to do in case of an emergency — even young children know the drill. Call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. Climb to higher ground. Be bigger than the bear. Don’t throw water on a grease fire. The rules are clear and you know them.
But quick, what do you do in the case of a dental emergency? Is there a dental 911? Just bear the pain until Monday morning? Throw some strong drinks on the problem? Climb to a high mountain and scream? Thankfully, none of those will be necessary because there are rules for dental emergencies, which may occur when:
- A tooth is broken or dislodged by trauma, accident or chewing;
- A really painful tooth ache occurs;
- A dental restoration such as a crown or bridge becomes loose or broken.
While extreme pain, shock or trauma to the mouth itself may warrant a visit to an emergency room, the situations above are best handled with a visit to one of our Placerville dentists. If you are experiencing a dental emergency in the Placerville area, the experts at the Placerville Dental Group are available to assist you.
Get to Our Dental Office ASAP!
Please come to our office at 699 Main Street, Suite B in Placerville when dental problems arise. We are ready and willing to help you deal with the pain, discomfort, fear and embarrassment that can come with a severe toothache, broken tooth or damaged dental work. Call us at (530) 444-5322 or stop by the office as soon as possible. If your predicament happens after hours or on the weekend, our phone message will direct you what to do. A visit to the emergency room may result in some pain pills to help you for a time, but medication alone cannot fix your problem. A caring and professional dentist is the ultimate solution for dental problems and most emergency doctors will only advise you to visit a dentist right away.
Fixing a Tooth Ache
Whether your toothache has lasted for a while or it’s a new problem, you must take it seriously. Your Placerville dentists know that dental pain is no joke! Tooth pain is not normal, and unless you’re having a temporary problem due to tooth sensitivity, it won’t just go away. Your tooth pain is likely caused by:
- Severe tooth decay, reaching down to the root,
- Bacterial infection with a possible abscess,
- Oral cysts or tumors.
Our Placerville dentists will also tell you that dental pain ranks among the worst pain in medicine. He states that the top three painmakers are:
- Child birth,
- Kidney stones,
- Dental infection.
Tooth aches, dental infections, gum infections, and jaw infections are very serious. These conditions can lead to death if not treated immediately as the body can become septic, the infection can spread up into the sinus and then the meninges of the brain, or the infection can spread downward into the throat and neck of the person, constricting their airway and compromising breathing. People died of dental infections quite commonly before the twentieth century.
While all of that may sound scary, what is really scary is if you tried to “bite the bullet,” or just attempted to “grin and bear it.” Stop treating the pain at home with painkillers! Treat dental problems with an emergency dental examination, including x-rays, to find the cause so you can get rid of the source of the pain. To avoid toothaches and dental pain, make it a habit to contact the staff of the Placerville Dental Group not just for your dental emergencies, but for regular check-ups too.
Dislodged or Broken Teeth and Restorations
In the movies, although actors get punched, fall to the ground and jump off tall objects, their smiles come out looking just fine. Not so in real life! People lose and break teeth, or damage dental fixtures, in regular everyday life, work and recreational activities. Often this happens on the weekends or in the evenings, when dental offices are closed. So what should you do if you break a tooth? If possible, find the tooth or broken dental appliance and do the following:
- Clean the tooth or restoration gently using whatever means are available, preferably water, saliva or even milk.
- Reinsert the tooth or part in its socket. If that’s not possible, keep it between your cheek and gum so it can stay hydrated and in the right environment.
- Gently biting on a wet rag or tea bag keeps the tooth in place.
- A cold compress on your cheek can minimize swelling.
- Alert our office at (530) 444-5322 so we can prepare for your emergency and then come in right away!
The sooner you see us, the more likely your tooth can be saved. While losing a tooth can be a traumatic experience, be assured that we have helped many others in emergency situations and we will be there for you too. Curing your pain and restoring your smile are possible if you take your emergency dental and regular dental needs seriously with the caring staff at the Placerville Dental Group. The rules are clear — call us in case of a dental emergency!
