What You Need to Know About Emergency Dental Care

A dental emergency is any type of dental problem that has to be treated or looked at immediately. Fortunately, there are many emergency dental clinics that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The sooner you seek out a clinic that offers emergency dental in Melbourne, the easier it will be to treat the problem. Here’s what you need to know about seeking emergency dental care. 

 Signs You May Need Emergency Dental Care

• Knocked Out Tooth – A knocked out tooth is an example of something that must be treated at an emergency dental clinic as soon as possible, as a dentist may be able to reattach the tooth and prevent it from sustaining any more damage. Before you visit an emergency dentist, you’ll need to pick the tooth up by its crown and rinse it. Do not touch the root, and carefully place the tooth back into the socket. If it’s not possible to do this, place the tooth in a glass of milk.
   
•  Severe Toothache – A toothache is almost always an indication of a problem. If a toothache is severe, you should seek out emergency dental in Melbourne as soon as possible. An abscessed tooth is one of the possible causes of a toothache, while tooth decay and gum disease can also lead to a severe toothache. An over-the-counter pain reliever can temporarily reduce pain, but it’s important to note that the pain will not go away completely until the cause of the toothache is treated.
   
• Cracked or Chipped Tooth – A cracked or chipped tooth is a dental emergency because it can easily result in an infection. You can apply a cold compress to the area to get some temporary relief. You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever until you can get to an emergency dentist.
   
• Bitten Tongue – If you bite your tongue and the bleeding is excessive, you’ll need emergency dental care as soon as possible. You can apply a cold compress to the area while you’re waiting to see the dentist. 

Available Emergency Dental Procedures

There are a variety of treatments and procedures available to treat dental emergencies. The type of treatment that’s recommended will ultimately depend on the emergency. For example, for a severe toothache caused by decay, an emergency dental clinic can perform a root canal to remove the pulp. After that, they’ll clean the space and place a filling in it. The dentist may also place a crown over the tooth to provide strength and protection. If the tooth cannot be saved, then an extraction will be performed. This is always a last resort, as it’s always better to save the tooth.

If your tooth has been knocked out, the dentist will use water to remove any debris from the tooth. After that, they’ll attempt to put the tooth back in its place. The dentist may have to use soft wire or composite material to splint the tooth. In some cases, a root canal may need to be performed.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies cannot always be prevented. However, you can do the following to reduce the risk:

1. Have routine checkups
2. Practice goodWear a mouthguard when participating in recreational activities
3. Be careful when chewing hard foods
   

This is a guest blog entry.