A Few Questions During a Dental Emergency

Some dental health concerns are common enough that there’s a good chance you’ll have to deal with it as some point in your life. For example, tooth decay affects more than 90% of people at least once, to some degree, so chances are you may need to treat a cavity at some point. However, there are less common situations that not everyone will face, but that are serious enough to require immediate attention and treatment from your dentist. If you’re faced with a dental emergency, then we can help make dealing with it less stressful by making sure you know all you need to know about getting through it.

Do you really have an emergency?

You might not always know when your situation should be considered an emergency or not. As a rule of thumb, any discomfort you feel in your tooth may be an emergency, especially if it’s severe. In addition to tooth pain and more obvious emergencies, like a traumatic injury, you might also be in an emergency situation if you have a previous restoration fail, or if you notice bleeding in or around your tooth.

Is it too late to save your tooth?

Given the nature of many dental emergencies, the situation can pose an immediate threat to the health and integrity of one or more teeth. This may include direct damage to the tooth’s structure, or a force strong enough to knock a tooth out of its socket (known as tooth avulsion). In many cases, seeking emergency treatment as soon as possible can improve your chances of saving the tooth, even if it’s been knocked out. Collect the tooth carefully, rinse it, and store it in a small container of milk. Bring the tooth with you to your emergency appointment, and there may be a chance of replanting the tooth so you don’t have to replace it.

What are your options if the tooth is lost?

If a tooth is knocked out and you can’t find it, or if it can’t be replanted during your emergency dental visit, then the loss of the tooth could negatively impact your overall oral health. The best treatment may be to replace the tooth as soon as possible, preferably with a dental implant post that can replace the tooth’s lost root. This will minimize the impact of tooth loss on your overall oral health, as well as restore your smile’s appearance and bite function.

Call us in a dental emergency

Facing a dental emergency can be worrisome, but with the right information and emergency care, we can help you get through it. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Yelena Popkova D.D.S. in Merrimack, NH, today at 603-595-9400. We also serve the residents of Nashua, Hudson, Manchester, Milford, and all surrounding communities.