Dental Emergencies – The Importance Of Acting Quickly

A delay in seeking treatment for a tooth or gum problem could result in more extensive treatment later.

Many of us have probably been in the situation where we are eating something and we feel the sickening ‘crunch’ as part of a tooth breaks off. More dramatically, we may break a tooth playing sport or by falling. Finally, there are the problems that seem to come from nowhere; when we wake up in the middle of the night with a severe toothache, for example.

There may be many reasons for some of these problems, such as generally poor cleaning or overall neglect of our teeth. We won’t focus on that in today’s blog though and we want to look at why it is important for our Ipswich patients to get in touch as soon as possible rather than look at the reasons why. Let us take a look then, at some common dental emergency situations here in Ipswich.

Knocked out tooth

If a tooth is knocked out, such as during a football match, rather than broken, it may be possible to save the tooth. The key is contacting a dentist straight away and explaining the situation. In the meantime, there are three things that you should do to give the tooth the best chance of survival. What you are able to do will depend on the situation.  Where possible, place the tooth back into the socket, gently holding it in place with a piece of clean cloth. You should pick it up by the crown and avoid touching the root. If it is not clean, wash it in milk or use one of the following options.

If you can’t place the tooth into the socket, you should put it into a small jar, along with either cow’s milk or the ‘victim’s’ saliva. If our practice is closed at this time, you can call 111 or call us for a recorded message informing you what to do next. The dentist will do all that they can to make sure that the tooth is placed back correctly and given the best chance to recover. Failing that, they will be able to clean the area and discuss various teeth replacement options.

Broken tooth

A broken tooth is probably one of the most common emergencies that we see at the Foxhall Dental Practice. If this happens to you, you should act as soon as you can, even if there is no pain involved. Any tooth that is broken will be exposed to bacteria that can lead to further infection. A broken tooth is also likely to be weakened and may break further. A prompt restoration with a filling or perhaps a crown, will help to preserve the tooth.

Severe toothache

Most people won’t delay in contacting us if they have a severe toothache. Despite being restricted to a small area, anyone who has had this will be fully aware how all encompassing the pain can be. We will always try to see a patient suffering in this way as soon as we possibly can, so please contact us as quickly as possible. We will also be able to offer advice on pain relief and how to stay as comfortable as possible until your appointment time.

Facial swelling

A likely cause of facial swelling is an infection of a tooth or the gums. This shouldn’t be ignored and our advice should be sought out as soon as possible. There may be a need for some treatment or possibly a course of antibiotics depending on the cause of the problem.

Crown or veneer detachment

This one is a bit of a plea to patients of the Foxhall Dental Practice. Although this happens very rarely, it is possible for crowns and veneers to become detached. If this does happen to you, please, please do not attempt to reattach it yourself. Restorations must be attached correctly by an experienced dentist using the correct adhesive. Unfortunately, there have been cases of people trying to attach them themselves using a regular adhesive. This is a really bad mistake and can lead to a number of problems including damage to the tooth. Under no circumstances should you attempt to do this yourself.

Minor ‘niggling’ problems

Many people don’t consider minor issues to be an ‘emergency’. This might be the case but it does mean that something is wrong and should be examined as soon as possible. A minor throbbing of a tooth may not necessarily be causing you too much discomfort but delaying seeking treatment could cause things to become much worse. Don’t put up with any dental issues, however minor they may seem to you, and contact us for advice as soon as you possibly can.

If you have a dental emergency. You should contact our Ipswich dentists as soon as possible. We attempt to see those in most serious need as quickly as we can, so the sooner you call us, the more likely a quick appointment will be. To contact us for an emergency or general appointment, please call the Foxhall Dental Practice on 01473 258396.