When you need emergency dental care, it may be stressful, but it’s a necessity to prevent further damage and treat pain. Generally, you need emergency dental care if a tooth or teeth is knocked out, forced out of position or unexpectedly loosened. Your Naperville, IL family dentist is here to help get your oral health back on track.
Signs of Dental Emergency
What constitutes a true dental emergency? Here are a few things to look for when establishing the need for emergency dental care:
- Toothaches: A persistent toothache could indicate a developing cavity or another type of infection.
- A cut on the tongue, lip or cheek: Haphazardly biting your tongue, lip or cheek could mean a crack or break in the tooth. This is also true for unexpected cuts in these same areas.
- Knocked out permanent tooth or broken tooth: If a tooth is knocked out or broken, it needs immediate attention. Treatment may require a form of dental implants or crowns.
- Bleeding after a baby tooth has fallen out: A little blood is normal. However, if the bleeding doesn’t stop, this warrants an emergency visit to our kids’ dentist.
- Cold or canker sores: Injury to the mouth can cause cold or canker sores, especially after having initial dental work.
Types of a Dental Emergency
A Knocked-Out Tooth
Knocking out a permanent tooth can be problematic as it will not be able to “grow back.” Make sure you save the knocked-out tooth so your dentist has the ability to reattach it. You can rinse off the tooth in water or milk, and then safely store it in a moist location. Visit us immediately so we can figure out how bad the damage is and decide if we can reattach the tooth or have to do a restorative procedure.
A Cracked Tooth
If you have a fractured or cracked tooth, this can be an extremely painful experience. Consider taking over-the-counter pain medication to reduce your discomfort as you wait to see your dentist next. Ice packs will also help reduce potential swelling in your face.
A Dental Crown Comes Off
Temporary crowns can pop off easily, so make sure if you feel one coming off, catch it before it’s lost or swallowed. Hold on to the crown and contact us to schedule an appointment to allow your dentist to properly replace it.
An Infected Tooth
Oral infections can be spotted if you have red or irritated gums, blood when you brush your teeth, or severe oral pain. Infections regarding your mouth need to be treated sooner rather than later so make sure you call us immediately if you feel any type of pain. We will make sure to get you seen as soon as possible.
A Broken Jaw
If you have accidentally taken a fall, have been in a car accident, or you hurt yourself playing a contact sport, you may have hit your jaw as well. If you see swelling around your cheeks and mouth or feel consistent pain that won’t go away, it’s possible you broke or fractured your jaw. Make sure you call us immediately and we will make sure to diagnose and properly treat your pain.
Why Us
Choose Naperville Commons Dental as your same-day emergency dental team because you will receive comprehensive care from a highly trained staff with your emergency dental needs in mind. Our same-day service is never rushed—you’ll receive the same care as if you were coming in for a routine visit.
FAQ
Q) Do I need emergency dentistry?
A) A break in the tooth, a toothache or unexpected bites/cuts in the mouth, on the tongue or lip require emergency dentistry.
Q) What is the most common dental emergency?
A) The most common dental emergency is either a broken or cracked tooth.
