If an individual finds themself experiencing a dental emergency during working hours, then they should contact their emergency dentist. These compassionate and understanding professionals will work hard to offer their patients a consultation on the same day.
This means that for those people who desperately need oral health care, they can receive it without delay, which can have a huge impact on the end result. For example, an avulsed tooth, when cared for correctly and seen by a professional within about an hour of the incident, can result in the tooth being successfully reinserted, avoiding the need for a replacement tooth.
There are a few things that patients should know to improve their chances of this occurring however and these will be carefully explained over the phone when the patient, or their caregiver, contacts the dental practice to make an emergency appointment.
Such information includes how to store and clean the avulsed tooth so that there is minimal further damage being done to the very delicate roots. If the tooth is cleanly knocked out of the mouth and is not broken into pieces or cracked, there is a good chance that the cells in the tooth are still alive and can be reimplanted successfully.
Should the patient be able to place the tooth back into the socket without too much pain, then they should do so after gently washing the tooth in a saline solution or milk. Using a cloth to cover the tooth and then biting down gently, the patient should remain like this until they reach their dentist for further examination.
If this is not possible, then keeping the tooth immersed, preferably in milk so that the cells do not swell and subsequently burst, is the best way of retaining as much integrity as possible. Again, swift action needs to be taken so that the injury is immediately seen to, for best chances of the most positive result.
What other dental emergencies are there?
It isn’t just avulsed teeth that are recognized as dental emergencies. Whether a patient has a tooth pain that doesn’t go away, has damaged a tooth or has a previous restorative treatment, immediate care is usually essential to ensure that the patient is comfortable, safe and that the integrity of their tooth remains.
Individuals should not hesitate to contact their dentist for immediate oral health care whenever they are in doubt. One of the friendly staff members will be able to offer the right kind of advice for the short term whilst booking that patient in for an appointment as soon as possible.
For those people who are able wait a day, or until a practice opens again, they will be expected to do so, enabling dentists to ensure they have the time and equipment on hand to offer the right kind of care. If pain is present, an immediate appointment will hopefully be booked to provide a temporary fix and should an emergency occur outside of working hours, then either a plan will be made or the individual directed to the emergency department.
