If you are dealing with a severe dental issue, your first call should be to an emergency dentist in Toronto. An emergency dentist in Toronto specializes in treating people who are dealing with serious infections, pain, or other related issues.
Emergency dentists are usually available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that they can deal with dental emergencies during the weekends, nights, and holidays.
Some dental issues can be put off until the next morning or even a few days. However, serious dental problems may need to be treated within the hour to save the tooth or avoid potentially fatal outcomes.
Here, we will discuss the steps you should take to reduce the risk of developing a dental emergency in your lifetime.
Things that Constitute a Dental Emergency
If you notice severe bleeding or are in severe pain, we suggest that you visit an emergency dentist in Toronto within the hour. You may have also lost a tooth due to blunt force trauma: in such a case, getting to an emergency dentist may allow the dentist to save the tooth.
Loose teeth are yet another sign of a dental emergency. Adults should not have loose teeth, so if you have one or more loose teeth, please seek treatment immediately.
Swelling of the face is also a sign of an infection, which may prove life-threatening. Knots or swelling of the gums is also a sign of a serious infection. Bleeding from the mouth may also be a sign of something serious that should be examined by an emergency dentist.
Common Types of Dental Emergencies
If your tooth has been knocked out, pick it up, avoiding touching the root. Then place it in a jar or container of milk and get to an emergency dentist quickly.
A serious or painful fracture should also not be put off. Chipped or cracked teeth are fairly common, but they can be very painful. You can reduce the swelling by placing a cold compress on your face. You should also gently rinse your mouth talking app with some tepid water.
If the pain is unbearable, then you can take acetaminophen. However, avoid using numbing gels or painkillers, as they can cause damage to your gums.
An abscessed tooth is also a type of dental emergency that can prove fatal in some cases. When a pocket of pus has been left untreated, it will develop into a serious infection. Common symptoms of a dental abscess include facial swelling, fever, sensitivity to cold or hot foods, a persistent toothache, and a bump on the gums that resembles a pimple.
However, before you visit your local emergency dentist, we would advise that you try and draw the pus to the surface. You can also reduce your pain by gently rinsing your mouth a few times with warm salt water.
What Can You Do During a Dental Emergency
A dental emergency can occur out-of-the-blue. For instance, you may become involved in an accident or a sporting injury that can cause damage to your jaw, teeth, or gums. If you have suffered a serious dental injury, you can rush to your local hospital’s emergency room.
Less severe injuries can be temporarily treated at home until a dental specialist can see you. For example, less severe dental problems include a lost filling. If you have lost a filling, then you can place a wad of sugarfree gum into the cavity. You can also use some OTC dental cement that can be purchased at a local pharmacy.
If you wear braces and become detached, you can temporarily reattach them using some orthodontic wax. You can also create a temporary cushion by placing the wax over the braces until you can see your orthodontist.
However, some dental emergencies simply cannot wait. Examples include a broken jaw, broken tooth, profuse bleeding from the mouth, or a severe dental abscess that makes breathing difficult.
In sum, a dental emergency can become very serious if left untreated, even if it seems minor in the beginning.
How to Take Care of Your Oral Health
If you would like to avoid a dental emergency, you should wear a mouthguard and helmet when engaged in contact sports. Brush your teeth at least twice a day using high-quality, all-purpose toothpaste that targets multiple areas that dentists check most.
Flossing is arguably even more important than brushing, so you should floss your teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and other food particles that toothbrushes simply cannot reach.
You can also use mouthwash after you brush and floss your teeth, although some can be quite abrasive. Alcohol-free mouthwashes tend to be less abrasive, so you may want to start with some of the milder products on the market first.
Many dental problems start small, such as mild tooth sensitivity, mild bleeding of the gums, bad breath, and plaque formation. These problems can lead to gingivitis, dental abscesses, lost teeth, and even heart disease if left untreated.
It is important to visit your dentist at least twice a year. By doing so, minor dental issues can be diagnosed and treated before they become dental emergencies.
Conclusion
If you develop a dental emergency, then you should try and get to an emergency dental clinic or hospital as soon as possible. Serious dental emergencies can lead to death, so they should never be taken lightly.
At the very least, your emergency dentist may be able to save a cracked, chipped, or even fallen tooth if you act quickly.
