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What Are Emergency Dental Services?
Dental care is important, and untreated dental problems can lead to serious emergencies. In the case of an emergency, like a cracked tooth, ignoring it for prolonged periods can lead to even bigger problems, like an abscess.
Before your problems start to swell as big as your aching gums, prevent advanced dental cases with emergency dental services.
Emergency dental services are a form of treatment offered outside of regular business hours, specifically during nights and weekends, to assist patients who experience an emergency.
Before you choose a dentist, look for one who offers emergency dental services as a contingency of gaining your business. If left untreated emergencies can turn into advanced cases which can be painful and costly.
Don’t Postpone Treatment
The worst thing you can do if you’re stuck in an emergency dental situation is postponing treatment. That’s because emergencies can quickly evolve into advance cases like:
- Abscesses
- Infections
- Contusions from DIY efforts
- Broken or missing teeth
- Painful swelling
When patients wait it out, they often try to be a DIY dentist. Instead of seeking professional help, they attempt at-home remedies for situations like having a rogue popcorn kernel sharply wedged in between teeth.
This can be very dangerous. The use of unsterilized instruments, or your hands, leads to further transfer of germs and bacteria that can make the problem worse.
Also, never use a foreign object as a dental tool. This, too, can lead to additional issues that result in an advanced case. Always consult a professional.
Treatment Delays? Try These Tips
If you’re in a waiting room preparing to be seen by your emergency dentist and want some relief, try these tips to help ease the pain. But remember, treating pain at home is never advisable.
- Tooth pain: rinse with warm water and apply ice
- Something’s stuck: use floss, and only floss, to try to loosen the object
- Loose tooth: cold compress and pain relievers, if needed.
- Tooth knocked out: there’s only one hour to save this tooth, get emergency dental services right away.
- Loose or missing crown: get to the dentist immediately
- Sudden sharp tooth pain: floss gently to determine if an object is stuck
Small Emergencies Lead to Bigger Issues
What seems like a small amount of tooth pain can cause major problems if left unchecked by a professional.
Why wait out the weekend chowing down on Advil and alternating warm water and ice packs every five minutes, when you could be getting treatment that offers relief?
When the first instance of dental pain strikes, call your dentist so you can rest assured that your mouth will be in good hands.
To learn more about how emergency dental services at Pacific Beach Smile Studio can help you avoid advanced cases, click here.