What's Considered a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies represent a need for urgent care. If these major issues aren’t treated within a day or two, they will inevitably worsen. Left unaddressed, dental emergencies can progress to an intolerable level and may even become medical emergencies. Yet, while prompt help is important in many cases, it’s not always easy to determine what constitutes a dental emergency. Here’s how to tell whether you should see a dentist immediately or if it can wait for the next available appointment.

How to Evaluate Your Dental Problem

Obviously, not all dental problems and injuries require urgent care. For example, while a chipped tooth can be alarming, it probably wouldn’t be classified as a legitimate emergency. To evaluate your situation, consider:

·         The severity of tooth or gum pain: mild pain doesn’t constitute an emergency

·         Jaw alignment: a jaw that is knocked out of alignment usually indicates a dental emergency

·         The level and volume of bleeding: minor bleeding that stops over time is likely not an urgent matter

·         Swelling accompanied by pain: swelling in the mouth isn’t a cause for immediate intervention unless it’s accompanied by severe or chronic pain

As you can see, most dental pain, swelling, and injuries fortunately aren’t major causes for concern. Issues like a mild toothache, a cracked crown or bridge, a lost filling, or even a noticeable cavity can simply be treated by your dentist during a regular appointment.

Examples of Dental Emergencies

A dental emergency involves extreme pain, swelling, bleeding, or injury. However, the urgency of needed care depends on the severity of the issue. Not every dental emergency is treated the same day or in an emergency dental clinic. For example, a painful but bearable toothache and swelling can be treated within one or two days. On the other hand, there are some situations that require immediate care, including:

·         Unbearable tooth or gum pain

·         A loose or deeply fractured permanent tooth which leaves the sensitive nerves exposed

·         Excessive or uncontrollable bleeding

·         An unaligned jaw, which usually results from injury

·         Severe, painful swelling

·         An abscess, which is typically caused by a bacterial infection which could spread if left untreated

If you experience any of these issues, call Bennett Dental, an emergency dental clinic Sherwood Park residents trust for prompt and thorough care.