What’s Considered a Dental Emergency?

Some dental emergencies can seem obvious, like excessive jaw pain or a knocked-out tooth. But others are less obvious. Keep reading to see how to spot the signs you shouldn’t wait for your next appointment to see a dentist.

Did you know that some dental emergencies could be life-or-death situations for your tooth? That may seem melodramatic, but prompt action can make a real difference in whether you lose a tooth permanently — especially if it got knocked out.

Here at Supertooth™ — expert general dentists in Bethesda, Germantown, and Gaithersburg, Maryland — our team provides compassionate, professional dental services, including emergency dentistry care. A dental emergency means you have an issue going on that needs prompt attention to prevent complications.

In this blog, we explain how to spot the signs that you might need emergency dental care.

How to recognize a dental emergency

Believe it or not, emergency dental issues may not seem obvious. However, knowing the difference can help you decide when to schedule an emergency dental appointment. When in doubt, call us to find out if you should come in.

Generally, you should consider the following situations a dental emergency:

A loose permanent tooth
Knocked-out tooth
Injuries to your mouth
Severe toothache
Intense mouth or jaw pain
Bleeding in your mouth that doesn’t stop
Abscesses

Below are important details about some specific dental emergency scenarios.

A knocked-out or broken tooth

You should always consider it an emergency when you experience sudden trauma to your mouth that knocks a tooth out of place. Whether it’s the result of a sports injury or slipping and falling, don’t wait — seek immediate emergency dental care as soon as you can.

If you dislodge a natural tooth, our goal is to save it, so you need to take action. If the tooth is still in your mouth, use a clean cloth, gauze, or your tongue to hold it in place while you head into our office. If you’ve dislodged the tooth entirely, rinse it free of debris or dirt — avoid touching the roots — and put it in a small container of milk or hold it inside your cheek until you arrive at our office.

Bleeding you can’t stop

Gum tissue is delicate, so it may bleed sometimes when you eat popcorn or brush and floss. This usually isn’t anything to worry about because the bleeding is brief, minimal, and stops on its own.

However, any bleeding that doesn’t stop requires emergency dental care. You should come to our office immediately so we can identify what’s behind the bleeding and stop it. Prompt attention also lessens the likelihood of permanent tooth, gum, or jaw damage.

Intense dental pain

If you have severe pain and swelling, consider them warning signs of serious dental problems. If intense pain strikes, call Supertooth immediately to schedule an emergency visit.

One common cause of intense pain and selling involves a tooth abscess. This dental issue occurs when you have a pus-filled infection in the soft pulp inside the tooth. Consider this a dental emergency, and don’t try to wait it out. When untreated, tooth infections can quickly spread to your jawbone, as well as the soft tissues of your neck and face.

A dental emergency isn’t something you can predict. However, you can reduce the risk of complications and protect your oral health by taking action when it happens with emergency dentistry.

Our team is here when you need us most. Contact us by calling the Supertooth office nearest you, or book an appointment online, and we can take care of all your dental needs.