Dental Emergencies: When to Call Your Dentist Immediately

It can be difficult to know if you are dealing with a dental emergency, or if you can wait for a routine appointment. Many of us don’t want to kick up a fuss, so we’ll minimise things like pain and discomfort to avoid any uncomfortable situations. Unfortunately, this can lead some people to ignore dental issues that really need to be addressed.

To help safeguard your oral health and to avoid small issues from becoming much bigger issues, it’s essential to know when you need to visit an emergency dentist. We set aside a number of emergency appointments every day, so if you’re in need of last-minute treatment, we can usually see you on the same day to help put things right.

If you’re struggling to decide if you need to see an emergency dentist or if you can wait for a routine appointment, consider the following scenarios. We’ve also explained the potential consequences of doing nothing, so you can better appreciate why it’s important to act.

How to tell if it’s a dental emergency

There are a few situations that should be treated as a dental emergency.

If you’re in sudden pain and it is preventing you from sleeping or going about your day, treat this as an emergency.
If you have bleeding that you cannot control with a compress. This would typically be seen after dental surgery.
If you have knocked out a tooth or suffered a facial trauma.
If you have broken or lost a dental restoration like a bridge or crown.
If you have chipped a tooth and it has left a sharp edge.

In all of these situations, it’s essential to seek help as soon as possible. There are lots of potential issues that could arise if you avoid treatment. Let’s explore some of the potential complications and why these dental issues constitute a dental emergency.

Why is pain a dental emergency?

If you’re in pain, it’s important to treat this as a dental emergency. A lot of people try to power through the pain and manage it with pain medication, but this ignores the underlying issue. Pain always has a cause, and it’s important to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

It’s also a common problem that individuals will ignore the pain until it goes away, and then assume that it is no longer an issue. Dental pain rarely resolves itself without intervention, so all that is really happening is that you’re allowing the issue to get worse. By addressing the issue when it happens, you can quickly get to the heart of the problem and put things right.

Why is bleeding a dental emergency?

Bleeding after dental surgery is not normal, and it could be a sign that something is amiss. While the rate of blood loss will be quite low, it will be very uncomfortable and should always be addressed.

Dental bleeding could mean that you need a stitch in your gum to help kick start the healing process. This isn’t an issue that can resolve by itself, so it should never be ignored.

Why is a knocked out tooth an emergency?

If you knock out a tooth, there is a chance to save it if you visit a dentist quickly and protect the tooth. If the tooth is knocked out whole, it can be placed back into the socket and there is a chance it could be saved.

It’s also a good idea to visit the dentist after a facial trauma as there may be damage that you cannot see. You might have suffered damage to the roots of your teeth or your jaw, and this will only be visible on an X-ray.

To help protect your oral health and avoid issues further down the road, it’s always a good idea to visit the dentist as an emergency patient following a facial trauma. Even if we can’t save the tooth you have lost, there is a chance we could help to prevent further issues.

Why is a broken dental restoration an emergency?

If you lose a crown or bridge, the tooth below will be exposed and could suffer damage if you don’t do anything about it. Before a crown or bridge can be placed, it will need to be prepared, which requires us to remove a small amount of the dental enamel. This is fine, because the crown or bridge will be there to protect it. So if this comes loose, the tooth below is vulnerable.

You may also feel self conscious if your crown or bridge falls out, so you’ll want to get this fixed as soon as possible. If you can, keep hold of the apparatus that has fallen out and there is a good chance your dentist will be able to quickly reattach it.

Why is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?

A chipped tooth might seem more like an inconvenience than an emergency. It all depends on the edge of the tooth and if this is likely to cause more damage. Chipped teeth can leave you with very sharp edges, and this could cut your tongue or cheek if you leave it.

By visiting the dentist as an emergency patient, you can quickly address the issue and prevent painful cuts to the inside of your mouth. If the chip is less severe, you may be able to wait for a routine appointment.

What happens during an emergency appointment?

The purpose of an emergency appointment is to address the immediate issue. You might not have a full restoration or treatment on the same day, but your dentist will have time to address your dental emergency and can take steps to put things right.

This could include X-rays to determine the extent of the issue, and prescribing pain medication to help limit your discomfort. You can then arrange a follow-up appointment for more extensive treatment. If you think you might be dealing with a dental emergency, get in touch with our team today.