Anticipating Dental Emergencies Is Impossible but Treating Them Isn’t

Is it possible to anticipate a dental emergency? In most situations, it is practically challenging to expect a crisis to occur. However, why should you wait until an emergency stares you in the face before you begin searching for urgent dental care near you? Wouldn’t the situation be much better if you had the contact details of an emergency dental clinic offering services beyond office hours?

Dental emergencies can occur anytime and often do without warning. Unfortunately, not all dental practices are prepared to offer emergency dental care like the emergency dentist in Oshawa, ON. This particular dentist accommodates patients and their families whenever they encounter an emergency.

The dentist in Oshawa, ON, is aware patients are often panicky in a dental emergency. Patients are usually doing everything they shouldn’t be doing when they experience any trauma to the tooth or swelling to their cheeks of sides of the face. In this blog, we are looking at things that patients shouldn’t be doing when encountering a dental emergency.

Actions Patients Shouldn’t Take During a Dental Emergency

Patients are not helping themselves by panicking the moment a dental emergency affects them. They must ensure they are familiar with some of the common emergencies and have practical methods in hand to deal with them until they can reach a facility offering emergency dental services.

Patients or their family members affected by a dental emergency like a fractured or cracked tooth can rinse their mouth with a saltwater solution and clean the area around the tooth. If they are experiencing any bleeding from the mouth, they can apply pressure at the site of the injury to prevent bleeding.

Patients with a knocked-out tooth can use salt water to rinse their mouths and contact emergency dental care immediately. They must attempt to locate the knocked-out tooth and rinse it in water without scrubbing the roots and carry it with them in a moist condition. Trying to reach the dentist’s office within 30 minutes should be the goal of the affected person because it offers the best chances to have the tooth reattached into its socket.

In a state of panic, patients often consider visiting emergency rooms located nearby, hoping medical professionals can also offer dental treatments. Unfortunately, emergency rooms are not equipped to manage dental emergencies and often turn away patients after providing painkillers and antibiotics without treating the issue affecting the patient. The best advice patients receive from emergency rooms is to visit a dental professional to evaluate their condition after charging exorbitant fees.

What Should Patients do When Experiencing Dental Emergencies?

Patients must ascertain the cause of the dental emergency without panicking and try to understand whether the issue can be managed using some simple tips. For example, toothache, in many cases, is a result of food particles trapped between the teeth. In such cases, patients can swish salt water around their mouths and try to loosen the trapped food particles. After that, they can use dental floss to remove any objects trapped between their teeth without using sharp instruments. If they are unable to find relief from the methods suggested, they must contact the emergency dentist near them for help.

Severe toothaches in the evening or the night are a result of untreated tooth decay that may have aggravated and needs intensive root canal treatments. These situations cannot be managed by the patient and need help from an emergency dentist right away.

Can Dental Emergencies Be Prevented?

A knocked-out tooth during an altercation is challenging to prevent, but issues like toothaches and minor accidents can undoubtedly be avoided. It would be helpful if people visited their dentists regularly for exams and cleanings and adopted preventive measures suggested by the dentist to keep dental emergencies at bay. Dentists are professionals who can detect issues with the patient’s oral health to develop a customized treatment plan that helps to prevent emergencies.

Oral appliances like mouthguards can easily prevent impacts to the teeth when moving around at home or even in public places. Regular visits to the dentist’s office allow patients to learn how to react during a dental emergency. The information helps patients to understand the treatment for dental emergencies is undoubtedly available while also leaving them prepared to respond appropriately whenever affected by a dental issue.