A dental emergency is any situation that requires immediate treatment in order to save a tooth or protect your oral health. Typically, dental treatments are planned and scheduled in advance. However, there may be times when emergency dental care is needed. Several situations may arise where patients need immediate help. If any of these occur and you have an emergency dentist in Mesa, AZ, on hand, you can get the help you need right away.
Here are the common dental emergency situations that arise:
Toothache
A toothache can be a sign of a serious condition, such as tooth decay or infection, that needs to be addressed immediately. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. When you don’t address the issue right away, you run the risk of the infection spreading and causing more serious issues. Your emergency dentist in Plano can treat the issue and relieve your pain so you can get back to living your life.
Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is an infection that occurs inside the tooth or in the gums and jaw. Abscesses can be caused by severe decay, untreated cavities, cracked teeth, gum disease, trauma to the face, and even certain medications. Once an abscess forms, the affected tissue must be removed to halt the infection and allow for proper healing to occur. Without treatment, the abscess can spread and lead to more serious problems. In some cases, abscesses are mistaken for canker sores, which are typically not as painful as dental abscesses tend to be. Sometimes, a dentist will drain an abscess before the tooth can be saved with root canal therapy.
Broken Tooth or Filling
A broken tooth should always be treated promptly and, if possible, during the regular appointment at the dental office. If the break is ignored, it can lead to an infection of the pulp tissue, which can lead to the need for root canal treatment. If you experience a broken tooth, you should rinse the mouth out with warm water to clean the area and prevent infection. Then contact your dentist immediately to get a proper diagnosis and the best treatment for your tooth.
Knocked-out Tooth
When you knock out a tooth, it’s important to act quickly! First, find the tooth and rinse off the dirt with water. Try to put the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place with gauze or a wet tea bag. If you can’t put the lost tooth back into place, keep it moist in a glass of milk or water until you reach the dentist’s office. It’s important to get to your dentist quickly after the incident occurs. The sooner your tooth is replaced, the better chance you have of keeping it.
In any one or more of these situations, it’s crucial that you see a dentist as soon as possible so that the issue can be addressed before it becomes worse. Delaying dental care will only make the condition worse and more expensive to fix in the long run.
Arizona Dental Heights, situated in Mesa, AZ, is equipped with modern technologies and expert dentists who provide the best services to patients. Call (480) 525-6000 and schedule an appointment with the dentist to learn more about the dental services we offer.