What You Should Consider a Dental Emergency

Because nearly four in ten Americans avoid regular visits to the dentist, it’s no wonder that many of us don’t know how to recognize a dental emergency when it happens. But you don’t have to overthink it. First responders can attest to a few rules of thumb regarding any type of emergency response.

Think about potential emergencies in advance, or put simply: be prepared. At Naylor’s Court Dental Partners, we aim to provide the resources you need to achieve excellent oral health. But we also recognize that emergencies are unplanned by nature, so we’re here for you when you need us most. Here are a couple more helpful hints.

Rule #1 – Remain Calm in the Moment and Collect Information

This portion of your emergency response starts when you’re called into action. First, take a deep breath, calming yourself and others involved in the situation. Then, with the help of this preparation, you need to assess the situation. Some circumstances, like a knocked-out, or avulsed tooth, require your Maryland emergency dentist.

But other situations are less clear, so your symptoms and their severity become your next consideration. Here are several indications that your condition is a dental emergency:

• Severe toothache or gum pain
• Painful gum inflammation
• Visibly broken, cracked, or chipped tooth
• Abscess or open mouth sore

If you experience any of these symptoms, especially when they’re interfering with your daily life, you should seek urgent care.

Rule #2 – Always Call your Emergency Dentist

Once you have a description of your symptoms and how bad they are, you should always call our dental office so that we can help plan your course of action. Then, when you can answer our questions specifically, we will be able to give you the best advice.

Avulsed Teeth Can Sometimes Be Saved with Quick Thinking

While some kinds of tooth loss are normal, you should take immediate action when an otherwise healthy permanent tooth becomes dislodged from your mouth. An avulsed tooth that is otherwise intact can sometimes be reimplanted if you take the following steps:

• Don’t touch the tooth root
• Gently remove any debris, avoid rinsing with water
• If the tooth fits back into its socket, keep it in place with gauze
• When you can’t replace it in the socket, place the tooth in a bag or container of saliva
• Call our dental office right away

Be Prepared and Contact Your Emergency Dentist in Maryland

Don’t let the unexpected have a massive impact on your life. Now that you know how to respond to a dental emergency, we encourage you to be vigilant. Please call us without delay if you need an emergency dentist near me today.