Dental Emergencies Are a Pain; Here’s How They Can Be Treated

Proper oral hygiene, smart eating decisions, and good oral habits are great ways to prevent accidents and oral infections, but dental emergencies have a nasty way of striking at the least convenient times. Thankfully, your emergency dentist is trained and equipped to address these issues with effective treatments that can bring considerable relief. Here’s a quick look at two common oral health emergencies and how your dentist can fix them.

Toothache

Toothaches can have many causes such as thin enamel or a teeth grinding habit, and your dentist can address these issues with appropriate restorative treatments. However, an insufferably agonizing toothache that throbs is likely the result of a severe oral infection that has reached the soft pulp at the center of the tooth. If this happens, a root canal may be the best way to immediately end the patient’s pain and prevent further damage to the tooth. However, a tooth that cannot be saved will have to be extracted and replaced.

Dislodging a Tooth

Knocking out a tooth puts it at immediate risk of being permanently lost, but knowing what to do when that happens can set you up to get the care you need to preserve your smile. Immediately after knocking out the tooth, take the following steps:

• Find and secure the tooth by handling it only by the crown portion. Touching the roots can damage the vulnerable tissues there.
• If the tooth is dirty, gently swish it about in a bowl of lukewarm water. Scrubbing or using cleaning agents like soap to clean a dislodged tooth can damage the roots.
• Place the tooth back in its socket, in the cheek or lip, or in a vessel with milk or saliva to help it stay viable for up to one hour while you transport it to your dentist’s office. However, an ADA-approved tooth preservation kit can keep a tooth savable for up to twenty-four hours.
• Contact your emergency dentist to explain the situation and let them know you are on your way to their office.
• Get to your emergency dentist’s office as soon as possible. Your tooth’s chances of being successfully reimplanted will begin to fall sharply after about thirty minutes.

In many cases, an emergency dentist will be able to fix a dislodged tooth back in its socket and help it reintegrate with the gums and jawbone. However, a tooth that cannot be saved will have to be replaced.

An untreated dental emergency can lead to worsening oral infections or permanent tooth loss. Knowing when to seek help from your emergency dentist can help you keep your smile gorgeous and healthy for life.

About the Practice

Dentex Dental Group offers exemplary oral health services to the people of Philadelphia. Led by Drs. Karina, Albert, and Alan Aloian as well as Drs. Alexander Genkin, Margarita Levites, and Sergey Dedov, the staff ensures that each patient receives comfortable treatment in a friendly office environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please dial the practice at (215) 677-3904. For non-emergency inquiries, please contact the office online.