Dental Emergency

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What is Considered a Dental Emergency?

It may be hard to discern what constitutes a dental emergency, but we advise our patients to contact our NE Calgary dental emergency clinic in the case of a dental emergency. Dental issues and concerns should be taken seriously as some situations are emergent and require an immediate visit. Any dental problem that needs immediate attention can be classified as a dental emergency. This can be the difference between saving and losing a tooth. If left untreated, some dental issues can negatively impact your overall health.

 

Common Dental Emergencies

While there are various degrees of dental emergencies ranging from mild to severe, there are a few common dental emergencies to take note of:

Toothache

Usually resulting from a decayed or cracked tooth. When dealing with a toothache, you must first clean the affected area by brushing and flossing to get rid of food that could be trapped between the teeth or under the gums. Rinse the area using a warm saltwater solution and apply a cold compress to the outside of the face. If pain persists, take the prescribed dose of acetaminophen and visit your NE dental emergency clinic immediately.

Broken Tooth

It is important to rinse with water to clean the affected area, use a cold compress to reduce swelling if needed, then carefully gather all of the broken tooth fragments and take it with you for your dental emergency appointment.

Sudden Swelling

Experiencing sudden swelling in your gums or cheeks is most likely a result of an infection. This requires immediate dental care - call your dentist immediately. In the meantime, it helps to use some ice, or a cold compress, to reduce swelling in the affected area.

Gum or Mouth Injuries

Cuts, lacerations, or tears to your lips, gum, mouth, cheeks or tongue are all categorized as mouth injuries and can be severe. If you find yourself with one of the following, contact your dentist immediately. While waiting for your appointment, you can rinse your mouth with a saltwater solution to prevent infections and stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the area with a cloth or gauze.

Lost Fillings or Crowns

Contact your emergency dentist as soon as possible. While waiting for your appointment, you can use sugar-free chewing gum to hold the filling in place. For a dental crown, use toothpaste or any other gentle adhesive to keep it in place until your appointment.

Knocked-Out Tooth

When dealing with a knocked-out permanent tooth avoid touching the roots. Do not clean the tooth, but you can lightly rinse it before inserting it back into its place and biting down into a clean cloth or gauze to keep the tooth secured. In the case that this is not possible, transport the tooth to the emergency dentist in a container filled with milk or water.

 

Contact Us

If you have been experiencing any of the following dental symptoms, it is likely that you are in need of emergency dental care. In any of these cases, you should contact your NE Calgary Dental Emergency Clinic immediately for further instructions. If your symptoms have not been addressed on this list, please call your Calgary dental centre and consult a dental care professional who can help you determine your next steps.