3 Good Reasons for Knowing an Emergency Dentist
Posted on Tue, Jun 05, 2012 @ 08:28 PM
Few people enjoy going to the dentist, but good dental hygiene is important so most of us make the effort for annual cleanings. Brushing, flossing, watching what you eat are all part of good oral care, but these habits do not completely prevent dental emergencies. The best way to be prepared for any emergency is to know who to contact in the event of an emergency situation. While you may think of an emergency as broken bones or major injuries, tooth and/or gum pain can signal an emergency too. Here are 3 good reasons why you should know an emergency dentist in your area.
1) An emergency dentist is available 24/7. If you wake up in the middle of the night in horrible pain from a toothache, going to the local emergency room is not going to fix the problem. Immediate dental care will help relieve your pain, medically treat the toothache, and get you back in bed so you can resume your busy schedule as soon as possible.
2) Knocked out teeth can be saved. Whether a tooth is knocked out while playing a sport, rough housing, or in an accident, if you can find the whole tooth there is a chance you can save it, but you have to act fast. There is a window of opportunity after a tooth falls out in which it can be replaced in the gum. Same day, immediate appointments with regular dentists are difficult to come by, but an emergency dentist knows you can't wait for an appointment to open up. By having an emergency dentist on hand, you could save your tooth!
3) Healthy teeth, healthy body. Abscesses are caused by infections and are not uncommon causes of mouth pain. While the pain may be manageable, if an abscess is not dealt with quickly and appropriately, the infection could spread to other parts of the body causing other health problems and escalating the emergency situation. Rather than turn your oral pain in to full body torture, it is best to see your dentist as soon as possible. An emergency dentist can not only immediately treat the pain associated with an abscess, he or she can also begin treating the infection before it begins to spread.
When it comes to your teeth and gums, time is of the essence. The longer you try to live with dental pain, the more damage it can cause to your teeth, gums, and general health. Make sure you know your local emergency dentist and don't hesitate to make the call.