When you’re living or traveling in New York City, you may find yourself facing a dental emergency that requires immediate care. This can be a stressful time and cause you to worry about how your treatment will be paid for.
While some dental emergencies are more urgent than others, it’s always best to get an assessment from your dentist before you decide whether or not to seek emergency dental care.
Toothache
When you experience toothache, it’s important to get treated as soon as possible. This is because the pain could be a sign of an infection, and it could get worse if left untreated.
Toothache can range from dull and constant to sharp, throbbing pain that won’t go away. If the pain is severe, it can be debilitating and leave you feeling dizzy or sick.
A good Emergency Dentist will examine your mouth and teeth and take X-rays to determine the cause of the pain. They’ll also do a physical exam and review your dental history.
They’ll also give you a pain reliever, which may help to ease the pain. They may also prescribe antibiotics to combat any infection. If the pain is severe, they may need to perform a root canal. This will remove the infected pulp inside your tooth and replace it with sealing material. This will stop the infection from spreading. Afterward, you will need to see your dentist on a regular basis to continue maintenance on the treated tooth.
Swollen Gums
Swollen gums are a symptom of a more serious dental problem that needs immediate attention. Depending on the cause, they may come on suddenly or develop slowly over time.
A dentist will ask questions to find out why you are experiencing swollen gums and what is causing them. They may order blood tests and full mouth dental X-rays to help determine the cause of your swelling.
You can soothe inflamed gums and promote healing with a saltwater rinse. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 8 ounces of lukewarm water and rinse your mouth for 30 seconds, spitting it out. Do this 2-3 times a day until the swelling disappears.
Swollen gums may indicate the first stage of gingivitis, a condition that can eventually lead to tooth loss if left untreated. To treat gingivitis, your dentist will prescribe a specific brand of toothpaste and an oral rinse to reduce plaque. They may also recommend curettage, a surgical procedure that scrapes away diseased gum tissue.
Broken Teeth
A broken tooth can be a serious dental emergency. This is especially true if the break goes deep enough to expose the tooth’s nerve.
Most fractured teeth occur on the upper front and back teeth (molars) that extend toward your lower jaw. This can be a result of injury or trauma like biting on ice or chewing something hard.
The first thing to do if you have a broken tooth is to stop the bleeding. Rinse your mouth out with salt water or plain warm water.
For more immediate relief, apply a piece of gauze or a moist tea bag to the bleeding area and hold it in place for about 10 minutes.
After the bleeding has stopped, you should visit your dentist immediately to get treatment for a broken tooth. Some minor fractures can be easily repaired, but severe breaks may require a root canal or crown to restore function and appearance.
Knocked Out Teeth
A knocked out tooth is a dental emergency that needs immediate attention from an Emergency higgins DMD. They can clean out the tooth socket, repair or replace the tooth and splint it to the surrounding teeth to prevent other teeth from shifting.
When a tooth gets knocked out, the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth are damaged. The chance of replanting the tooth back into its socket is reduced with each minute that passes.
If the tooth is an adult (permanent) tooth, it’s best to put it back in its socket as soon as possible. It’s much harder to save a baby tooth, but it may still survive if the child stores it in milk or seeks emergency care as quickly as possible.
There are over-the-counter tooth preservation kits that can keep a knocked out tooth from dying for up to 24 hours while it is waiting for repair and replanting. These kits are ideal for school nurses, athletic coaches and parents of active children who might be at risk of losing a tooth while training for or playing sports.
