When to Seek Emergency Dental Care?
When
your mouth experiences trauma or you're experiencing serious pain, it can be
difficult to know what to do. Fortunately, a 24-hour emergency dentist in St.
Petersburg, FL, can address the concern and make sure injuries are treated
properly to avoid tooth loss, infection, and other problems. Here are some
situations when you should seek emergency dental care as well as what to do in
the meantime.
Tooth Knocked Out
If you
get a tooth knocked out you should definitely call an emergency dentist right
away. In some cases, a knocked out tooth can be placed back in the socket
without further complications. But it's imperative that you get to a dentist
right away or you risk losing the tooth forever. As soon as the tooth is
knocked out you can attempt to place it back in the socket and then bite down
on moist gauze while traveling to the dentist's office. If you're unable to
place it back in the socket, place it in milk. In either case, be sure to not
touch the root and try to handle the tooth as little as possible.
Cracked Tooth
A
cracked, chipped, or broken tooth is also considered a dental emergency. Broken
teeth can be extremely painful if the roots are exposed, so you'll need to see
a dentist as soon as possible. You can help keep bacteria out of the cracked
teeth by rinsing the mouth with water.
Tissue Injury
Tissue
injuries should also be treated right away. These include tears, cuts, and
puncture wounds to the tongue, cheeks, mouth, and lips. After contacting the
dentist you can rinse the wounded area with water and if necessary apply gauze
to the injured area if it's still bleeding. A cold compress can help alleviate
the pain and swelling until you're able to get to the dentist.
Pain
If
you're experiencing any type of pain in your mouth, especially if it's severe,
call a 24-hour
emergency dentist in St. Petersburg, FL, right away. Even if
the pain isn't in your tooth, you could be experiencing pain from a serious
infection in other areas of your mouth. Severe pain in the mouth could indicate
infection, other illnesses, or the presence of an abscess. Whether the pain is
sharp and piercing or prolonged and aching, you should see a dentist to
identify the cause of the pain and remedy it with treatment.
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