Common Dental emergencies

What is a Dental Emergency?

Even when you do everything you're supposed to: brush twice daily and floss at least once, visit the dentist every 6 months for an exam and cleaning, you are still susceptible to experiencing a dental emergency.

A dental emergency is a dental issue that comes up with little to no warning and requires immediate attention. It's important to note that not all dental issues are emergencies. If you have bleeding and/or pain that will not subside or broken facial bones, you need to contact Amores Dental as soon as possible.

We have the experience and expertise to help you get your dental emergency under control and treat the underlying cause to prevent future issues.

9 Common Dental Emergencies at Amores Dental

The team at Amores Dental has experience and expertise in many areas. Some of the most common dental emergencies we encounter are:

Toothache

If you have a severe toothache, start by rinsing your mouth with warm water. If you have any food lodged between your teeth, use dental floss to remove it. If you have any swelling, use a cold compress on the outside of your mouth/cheek. You can use oral OTC pain relievers to help keep pain under control. However, you should never place them on the gums or tooth because it could burn your gum tissue.

Tooth fracture

Your teeth are tough but not invincible. They may be damaged due to poor oral hygiene or injury/trauma. In some cases, the tooth can become fractured. A fractured tooth is when a portion of the tooth is broken off. This can be a traumatic experience and may or may not be a dental emergency. If there is pain and/or bleeding involved, it is considered an emergency and you should see the dentist as soon as possible. If there is no bleeding or pain, you may be able to wait until you can get a regular appointment.

Swollen Jaw

A swollen jaw could indicate that there is an infection impacting your salivary glands. You should seek emergency dental treatment if you have other symptoms including:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Bad taste in your mouth

Fever

This type of infection is bacterial and causes a blockage that prevents saliva from breaking down food and washing away bacteria.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums may or may not be a dental emergency. If the bleeding only occurs sporadically after brushing and flossing really hard, there's no reason to panic. On the other hand, if the bleeding is persistent and occurs every time you brush/floss your teeth, you should have it addressed immediately. Additionally, bleeding gums may indicate underlying health problems such as heart disease or diabetes.

Knocked-out Tooth

Patients who participate in contact sports are more likely than others to experience a knocked-out tooth. If this happens to you, try to recover the tooth. Pick it up carefully by the crown. You must avoid touching the roots of the tooth. If you can get treatment within 30 minutes, we may be able to save the tooth. If we are unable to save the tooth, we will help you explore some of our restorative dentistry options, including dental implants.

Abscessed Tooth

An abscess is a swollen or pimple-like infection occurring in the space between your teeth and gums or around the tooth root. This is a very serious condition that can cause damage to surrounding tissue and teeth. If not addressed, the infection could cause facial or jaw swelling and could spread to other areas of your body. Any dental abscess needs to be addressed as soon as possible. In order to relieve the pain and bring the pus to the surface, you can rinse with warm salt water several times a day.

Cracked Tooth

A cracked tooth may or may not be an emergency. Sometimes, a cracked tooth can wait. Other times, it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. As with other dental issues, the indications that it needs to be treated immediately are pain and bleeding. Even if you are not experiencing pain and/or bleeding, it's still advisable to call the dentist to find out what your next steps should be.

Cavities and Tooth Decay

Your teeth have several different layers. The outside layer is known as enamel. A cavity is a damaged area that causes a weak spot. This damage is irreversible without professional dental care. If left untreated, this can advance and spread to the deeper tissues in your teeth and potentially lead to an abscess.

If you have severe pain in or around the cavity, it's important to have it treated right away to avoid further complications.

Post-surgery Complications

When you have dental surgery, there is a risk for post-surgery complications including infection. Common indications of complications include fever, excessive pain, excessive swelling, or excessive bleeding, you should contact the office as soon as possible.

There are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of post-surgery complications including:

• Carefully follow post-op instructions including taking any prescribed medication, avoiding strenuous activities, etc.
• Use ice packs to control swelling
• Brush/floss as instructed

What is Involved in Dental Emergency Treatment?

In most cases, the goal of emergency dental treatment is to get the pain, bleeding, and swelling under control. Once we are able to do that, we can move forward with treating the problem. If necessary, we can do extractions to remove damaged teeth, restorative dental procedures to replace missing teeth, or other procedures.

Contact Amores Dental for Your Dental Emergencies

If you have a dental emergency, you need to have it addressed as quickly as possible to avoid additional complications. Contact Amores Dental near Miami. We have two conveniently located offices: Dadeland and Palmetto Bay. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00 to 5:00 and Friday 8:00 to 2:00. Our dentists have the experience and expertise to deal with a variety of dental emergencies.