When you’re faced with a sudden toothache or dental injury, knowing how to get emergency dental care can be the difference between losing and saving a tooth. Urgent dental issues can happen at any time – during a meal, at a sporting event, or even in the dead of night.
So, what should you do if you find yourself in this predicament? The first step is to stay calm and assess the situation. Not all dental problems require immediate attention, but some, such as a knocked-out tooth, swelling, severe pain, or excessive bleeding, are true emergencies that need urgent care.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Dental Emergencies
- Severe pain: A toothache that won't let up or pain that's getting worse can be alarming.
- Swelling: Swelling in your mouth can be one of the most serious dental emergencies and it shouldn’t be ignored.
- Pus: This could indicate an infection. Any sort of discharge around your teeth needs prompt attention.
- Abscess: Spotted a nasty pimple on your gums? It's not for popping; it's likely a dental abscess needing urgent care.
- Injury: Had a bit of a mishap? An injury causing damage to your teeth or mouth is a definite call to action.
Differentiating Between Urgent and Non-Urgent Dental Issues
It can be extremely worrying when you have a dental problem so let’s help clarify what’s a real emergency, and what can wait until normal surgery hours.
Urgent Dental Issues:
- Knocked-out teeth: Pick up the tooth by the crown (do not touch the root), give it a quick rinse with milk or water—no scrubbing—and try popping it back in the socket. No luck? Keep it moist in milk or in your cheek and call your dentist.
- Severe pain: If it's keeping you up at night, call your practice.
- Swelling: If you notice a swelling inside or outside your mouth it is important to contact your dentist urgently. If it is out of hours then call 111 for advice. If the swelling impedes swallowing or breathing go to A&E.
- Unstoppable bleeding: Continual bleeding after an injury or extraction requires a trip to A&E, especially if you can't reach a dental professional.
Non-Urgent Dental Issues:
- Mild toothache: Try using sensitive toothpaste such as sensodyne, gently floss to remove any trapped food, and if needed, take a painkiller.
- Broken filling: Whilst it is important to get the broken filling repaired, it is not necessarily an emergency. Temporary filling kits are available at most pharmacies.
- Dislodged crown: Similar to a lost filling, it does need fixing soon but it can wait a little bit. Temporary dental cement is available at most pharmacies.
- Bleeding gums: If you notice bleeding gums when you brush your teeth then this does need looking at but it isn’t an emergency.
Remember, dental emergencies can be serious, so when in doubt, it’s always better to check with your dentist sooner rather than later.
Pain Management and Temporary Relief Measures
No one likes to suffer in silence, especially if you’ve had a run-in with your wisdom teeth or lost a crown. Here’s how you can help manage your dental problem:
- Painkillers: Over-the-counter painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen are effective.
- Rinses: Anti-microbial mouth rinses or salt rinses can help with minor gum problems.
- Broken retainer: If your wire retainer has broken and is sharp on your tongue then try putting some wax on the end of the sharp wire. If you have a removable retainer, then wear this over the top of the broken wire to protect your mouth.
- Temporary measures: Pharmacies often sell temporary filling material or temporary crown cement which can tide you over until your dental appointment if you have lost a filling or have a loose crown.
Accessing Emergency Services
If you have a dental emergency, your first call should be to your dentist. However, if you’re not registered with a dentist, or you require care outside of usual hours, several options are available:
- Emergency dental services: At Redcliffe Dental Practice we are able to see new patient emergencies so give us a call.
- Contact NHS 111: In England, you can call NHS 111 for urgent dental advice and direction to out-of-hours services.
- Hospital visit: For severe cases where there is heavy bleeding, or swelling that is affecting your airway, go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital.
Tips for Maintaining Oral Health to Avoid Emergencies
Keeping up with oral hygiene is your front-line defence against emergencies. Follow these tips and you will reduce your chances of suffering a dental emergency:
- Brush twice a day: Use a fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay.
- Mind your diet: Those sugary snacks might taste divine, but they're no friends to your teeth. Reducing your intake of sweet treats can dramatically cut down on the risk of decay.
- Regular check-ups: Your dentist can spot issues early before they cause a dental emergency.
