While a broken arm is an obvious medical emergency, you’re unsure what constitutes a dental emergency.
To guide you in the right direction when it comes to preserving great oral health, the team here at Peninsula Dental Excellence, under the direction of Dr. Jeff Yoshihara and Dr. Colin Au, presents five instances in which our help is warranted sooner rather than later.
Let’s get straight to a sign that’s awfully hard to ignore — pain. Whether you have a dull ache in your tooth or pain that comes and goes with certain temperatures, any time there’s pain in your mouth, it’s a symptom worth acting on.
To underscore this point, let’s take a look at the three most common drivers of emergency dental visits:
Each of these conditions can lead to pain, requiring skilled and prompt attention to prevent the problem from becoming much larger and more painful.
We just mentioned knocked-out teeth, so we want to expand on this. When a tooth comes out because of trauma, seeking immediate help can not only relieve your discomfort, but we may be able to save the tooth.
If a tooth is knocked out, rinse it off and try to place it back in the socket. Then, call us for a same-day appointment.
Like pain, bleeding is a sure sign of a dental problem that can benefit from a higher standard of care. If there’s a lot of bleeding, please go to your nearest emergency room. If the bleeding isn’t profuse but persistent, give us a call so that we get to the bottom of the problem.
If you have a filling that’s come out, a bridge that’s broken, or a crown that’s badly cracked, we want you to come see us so we can quickly repair these dental restorations. Leaving broken restorations in your mouth can allow bacteria to get inside your teeth and gums and create more problems. Or, broken restorations can cut up the soft tissues inside your mouth.
The complications from leaving broken parts in your mouth are considerable, so come see us sooner rather than later for repairs.
If you have a large crack or chip in one of your teeth, it’s a very good idea to come see us so we can repair the damage immediately. If we don’t remedy these issues promptly, cracks and chips can become bigger, bacteria can access the insides of your teeth, and you, ultimately, risk losing the tooth.
If you’re on the fence as to whether you’re dealing with a dental emergency or not, it’s best to contact our Mountain View, California, for more information.
