Dental Emergency Before And After

Understanding Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies occur when you experience an injury to your jaw, teeth, or gums that requires immediate dental care and treatment. Pain and bleeding can also occur and should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further problems. 

 

What Constitutes A Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is any dental situation that brings discomfort, pain, swelling, soreness, or bleeding. Injuries to the teeth, soft tissues, gums, and jaw are also considered dental emergencies. For example, a broken tooth is a dental emergency.

 

Common Types Of Dental Emergencies

• Abscesses
• Toothaches
• Cracked, broken, loose, or knocked-out teeth
• Bleeding gums that will not stop
• Swelling, soreness, and pain from infections
• Jaw bone trauma
• Extreme jaw pain
• Missing fillings or crowns
• Broken implants, dentures, or dental bridges

 

Before The Emergency

Several types of dental emergencies could potentially be prevented from occurring when you maintain proper oral health. 

• Preventive measures: Maintain regular dental check-ups and cleanings to identify potential dental problems and issues before they become an emergency. Brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing at least once daily are also important. 
• Emergency preparedness tips: Store our emergency dentist’s phone number in your phone. Have an over-the-counter pain reliever and a home first aid kit. You may also want several ice packs stored in the freezer. 
• First aid for dental issues: For bleeding, rinse with warm salt water to try to stop it. If it doesn’t stop, pack the area with cotton gauze. Apply an ice pack to help with swelling, and take an over-the-counter pain reliever for pain and discomfort. 

 

During The Emergency

When you experience a dental emergency in Houston, taking the appropriate steps to prevent future issues, infections, and other dental problems is vital. 

Immediate Steps To Take

• Assess the situation and determine the issue 
• If you lost a tooth or crown and still have it, place it in a zip-locking bag
• Use basic dental first aid to attempt to address the issue 
• Call our emergency dentist in Houston for further advice on what to do 

 

When To Seek Professional Help

You should contact an emergency dentist in situations where any of the following are occurring:

• The bleeding will not stop
• You are in extreme pain and discomfort
• You have broken or lost a tooth or crown
• You are missing a filling
• Your jaw bone is fractured or broken
• You are running a fever

 

Pain Management Tips

You can try an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as naproxen or acetaminophen, to see if it helps to reduce or alleviate pain. However, do not take aspirin or ibuprofen if you are bleeding or taking blood thinners. 

Ice packs can also help with soreness and swelling. Apply the ice pack to the affected area and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. You should remove it and leave it off for at least 15 to 20 minutes before reapplying. 

 

After The Emergency

Another important aspect of before and after a dental emergency is preventing recurrence and future emergencies. 

• Post-emergency care: Follow all directions given to you by your emergency dentist. If you have an infection, take all medications until they are gone. Otherwise, the infection could return. Contact your emergency dentist immediately if you have any further issues, concerns, or questions. 
• Follow-up appointments: Make sure to go to all follow-up appointments, as some issues may require multiple visits and procedures to be fully resolved. 
• Long-term recovery tips: You should take steps to improve your oral health and dental habits, such as bi-annual check-ups and cleanings, brushing twice daily, flossing once daily, and addressing any future dental emergencies immediately. 

 

Find A Same-Day Dental Emergency Location Near You

It is easy to find same-day treatment by searching “emergency dental near me” in Houston. Our offices are conveniently located throughout the Greater Houston Area and Katy, TX. Stop pain and discomfort and resolve dental emergencies today. Check out our before and after dental photos to see how we have helped others fix their dental emergencies.