What can truly be classified as a dental emergency?

Posted on: 9 April 2018

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Dental emergencies are definitely no fun. They are often very painful and can result in extensive damage to the mouth if not handled correctly. While most people know how to deal with many other emergencies such as breathing difficulties, choking or small fires, dental emergencies rarely receive the same level of attention—until they happen.

It is important to distinguish what falls under a dental emergency and what doesn't so you can prepare the correct response to the appropriate condition.

Non-emergencies

In many cases, non-emergencies are confused with dental emergencies out of an abundance of caution. Some dental conditions are not actual emergencies and can be contained for some time before visiting a dentist.

It helps to know what is not quite an emergency so you don't panic or overreact when such conditions occur. Some common non-emergencies include:

Mild toothaches

A mild toothache can be caused by many different factors. For example, food particles caught between the teeth or mild contact to the tooth surface can result in irritation and mild pain as a result.

Mild toothaches are not dental emergencies and can be contained for some time before visiting a dentist. You can take some painkillers to relieve the discomfort and make sure the tooth is cleaned from foreign objects.

A filling or crown that falls off or becomes loose

If you had a tooth filling in the past or a crown replacement, it may end up falling off at a future date. Fillings can fall off as a result of heavy use or accidental contact.

When your filling or crown falls off, you shouldn't panic. Make sure you keep the tooth clean and free of infections until you can visit a dentist.

A painless chipped tooth

Your tooth may become chipped when you chew on a hard item or knock the tooth against a hard surface. If the chipped tooth is painless, you don't necessarily have to implement any emergency response.

However, try to recover the broken pieces of the tooth and dip them in a solution of milk before visiting the dentist for broken tooth repair.

Foreign objects in the teeth

In some cases, foreign objects can get trapped in the teeth. These include food debris, toothpicks or other similar items. If the trapped object is not causing pain or disrupting your ability to participate in daily activities, the situation doesn't warrant an emergency response. However, it is important to visit a dentist as soon as possible because the foreign object can cause oral infections.

Dental emergencies

The situations that fall under dental emergencies are well known, and they should be treated with an appropriate urgent response. For example, knocked out teeth, severe toothaches, swelling and pain all fall under dental emergencies.