Emergency Dentistry

Oral health is one of those areas that are ignored until an emergency occurs. The problem with our mouths is that it is challenging to examine yourself. Again, without the proper experience, it is difficult to tell whether what you are experiencing is a minor or major issue that requires urgent attention. For that reason, it is always essential to have an emergency dentist in mind at all times.

At La Puente Emergency Dentist, we offer emergency dentistry, among other dental care services to residents of La Puente, CA. With our services, we ensure that all our clients are well covered in all areas of their emergency. Therefore, if you or your loved one is experiencing extreme pain or a problem you feel cannot wait, it is advisable to get in touch with an emergency dentist as soon as possible. This way, an issue can be resolved before it gets out of hand.

Why is Emergency Dentistry Important?

Emergency dentistry is a branch of dentistry that seeks to cater to issues involving teeth and the supporting tissues, which are of great importance and whose treatment and care cannot be postponed to a later date. Contrary to what many people think, dental emergencies do not always revolve around pain, though pain is a common symptom that something is wrong with your teeth or gums. Whenever there is pain, it is not always an indication that there is something wrong with your teeth; it could be the surrounding tissues or a sensation coming from deep down the roots of your teeth. A severe discomfort could also be an indication of a severe dental problem that requires immediate attention.

If you have been involved in an accident or any other incident that could have resulted in a broken, loose, or missing tooth, this is an excellent example of a dental emergency. Extreme pain on any part of your mouth is also an excellent reason to call into your dentist's office, without an appointment. Dental emergencies are those oral issues that cannot wait for you to set up an appointment with your dentist. If you already have an appointment set at a later date, an emergency will not wait until that time you are scheduled for a dental examination.

Emergency dentistry is crucial as it ensures that people experiencing emergency dental issues can receive treatment without being required to wait for their days of appointment. People suffer injuries every day, whether in accidents, or even fights. Some of the injuries sustained in such incidents could have a permanent impact on a person's oral health. Failing to receive immediate dental care at that instant could worsen some of these injuries. If, for instance, you got involved in a car accident that left you with a couple of loose teeth, immediate intervention is required to ensure that you are not losing so many teeth.

Any delay could not only leave you with several missing teeth but also an altered facial appearance, which might be difficult or expensive to correct after several days or weeks have passed. Emergency dentistry ensures that the problem is treated as soon as it is experienced. Therefore, complications that may be experienced in the future are prevented. Prompt dental care has helped avoid a wide array of dental issues that could be expensive and difficult to treat after time has passed.

What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?

Another common assumption when it comes to emergency dentistry is that dental emergencies only involve the likelihood of losing one or more teeth. The truth is that this is just one area of concern. If you have a loose or broken tooth, it could be an excellent reason to visit an emergency dentist. However, several other situations could prompt you to contact an emergency dentist. It is essential to understand what qualifies as a dental emergency and what does not to be well prepared in the event something happens that cannot wait to be treated.

What you need to know is that if you experience any dental issue and it has been a while since you last saw a dentist, it may be time to make that call. The problem comes if the issue is experienced on the weekend, a public holiday, or in the middle of the night. Whether or not to make that call in those circumstances will depend on the severity of the dental problem you have. If, for instance, you are experiencing extreme pain, it is not something you can push until you can make a dental appointment. Intense pain may be a sign that something is wrong and could get worse if it is not given immediate attention.

Note that not all dental situations should be treated as emergencies. It is advisable to ask yourself the following questions to determine whether or not you should wait to see a dentist:

• Is the pain you are experiencing severe or manageable? If the pain is manageable or slight, it may not be an urgent need to see a dentist. You may, however, have to make that call to book an appointment with your dentist. If the pain is unbearable, it is an emergency.
• Are you about to lose a tooth? It could be a broken or loose tooth. In that case, emergency treatment is needed to save the tooth. Note that your dentist will always do his/her best to preserve your natural teeth before recommending an alternative. Again, adults should not lose their teeth. A loose tooth is ever an emergency, even in the absence of pain.
• Do you have an infection? A severe infection or abscess in your mouth is an acute life-threatening issue that should not wait to be treated later. Therefore, if you notice some knots or swelling on your gums or even around your face, it should be treated with the urgency it deserves.
• Are you bleeding from your mouth? Blood is also a sign of a severe issue that should be treated immediately.

Generally, if you encounter an oral issue that requires treatment to stop swelling, alleviate pain, stop bleeding or save a tooth, treat it as an emergency

Common Dental Emergencies in La Puente

As mentioned above, many instances can qualify as dental emergencies. While some of the symptoms listed above can be alleviated at home before you can get to a dentist's office, some require immediate attention by a dentist. To understand what you must do once you encounter a problem you feel is a dental emergency; let us look at the common dental emergencies:

1. A Mouth Injury After a Fall

Falls are common causes of physical injuries experienced by a lot of people from all walks of life. Injuries can be experienced in different parts of the body, depending on how the person has fallen. Sometimes a person can suffer facial injuries, which might affect their mouth as well. Common injuries on the mouth showcase in terms of bleeding gums or loose teeth. If you are over ten years old, it means that you already have adult teeth. These are the teeth that require proper care because they don't grow back once they are lost.

If you lose one or more teeth after a fall, or one or more of your teeth loosen up as a result of trauma, you need to call a dentist immediately. It is even better to visit an emergency room if you have experienced any kind of fall, to rule out any significant injuries. An emergency dentist will check your entire mouth, including your jaws, gums, and teeth, to ensure that nothing is overlooked.

2. A Knocked-Out Tooth

It could happen after a fall, an accident, or if you have been involved in a fight. Only a well-trained dentist will know what to do with a knocked-out tooth. That is why you should access emergency dental services as soon as possible. The first thing your dentist will do is try to place the tooth back in position. He/she will do all they can to save that tooth, and ensure that it will heal properly and regain its functionality in no time. Note that any delays may make it impossible to save the tooth.

3. Dental Pain

Most dental emergencies come in the form of either discomfort or pain. The level of the discomfort and the pain should dictate how you should treat the issue. If, for instance, you are only experiencing pain when you chew or bite something, it could be because you have been grinding your teeth or you have a cracked tooth. A dental abscess could also cause pain when chewing. If the pain is not much, some painkillers will help alleviate it for a while before you can get into a dentist's office. If, on the other hand, the pain is unbearable, it is advisable to have yourself checked immediately.

4. Dental Infections

Several signs would indicate a dental infection. Some of these are:

• Fever.
• Sensitivity when biting or chewing.
• A persistent, severe toothache, which could radiate to the jawbone, ear or neck.
• Tenderness when you take something hot or cold.
• Swelling on the cheek or face.
• Swollen and tender lymph nodes in the neck or under the jaw.

Dental infections are not issues that can go on their own; they need medical intervention. Again, they always signify that something is wrong with your body. If you experience any of the above or more signs and you suspect to have a dental infection, it is better to call a dentist immediately.

5. Mouth Sores

Several dental issues fall under the general category of mouth sores. These are, for instance, hand, foot and mouth diseases, and canker sores. There are those mouth sores that come as a result of gum disease. Generally, mouth sores are not life-threatening, and so can easily be ignored to heal on their own. The problem is that they are sometimes very painful. They will not allow you to live a full life. Natural mouthwash is the most recommended solution to use at home in case of mouth sores. However, if the lesions are not healing correctly or you suspect they could be associated with another dental issue, call your dentist immediately.

6. Abscessed Gums

These are prevalent types of dental emergencies, though they do not look like an emergency at first. What you see is a pocket of pus developing on your gum/tooth, which could eventually affect the entire area surrounding the part where the abscess appears. A gum abscess is also called a periodontal abscess, and it is a painful condition that could cause severe oral complications if not treated on time. It is very easy to ignore an abscess since it starts as a pimple, but it is a serious indication of an infection in your gums, which could result in tooth extraction or root canal.

Other than calling for emergency dental care, it is advisable not to pop the abscess as it is not a simple pimple. You should also be careful not to brush the affected area when cleaning your teeth.

7. Broken Tooth

Several things could cause a person's tooth to break. Even though natural teeth are generally stable, applying more pressure on your teeth by biting on tough things can break them. Some teeth lose their strength over time, especially for people who have a habit of grinding their teeth. Even though it is not a life-threatening issue, a broken tooth should be a cause for concern. Depending on the cause of the breaking and how much of it has broken, there may be a need to visit an emergency dentist.

8. Swollen Gums

Practically anything unusual in your mouth should be a cause for concern if you care much about your oral health. Swollen gums could indicate several issues, including severe dental infection. If left for a little longer, the swelling may not heal on its own, but get worse and could spread to other parts of the mouth. That is why you should check in with a dentist as soon as you notice swelling, however slight it might be.

What To Expect During an Emergency Dental Visit

All kinds of emergencies are stressful, including dental emergencies. You may be in a lot of pain or simply worried that something is wrong. The only way to alleviate some of this stress is by getting in touch with an experienced emergency dentist. It also helps to understand what to expect once you step into the dentist's office for dental emergency care.

For an experienced emergency dentist, the very first thing he/she can do is try to ease his/her patient’s pain as soon as possible. Note that this will only depend on the kind of dental issue you are experiencing, as not all emergency cases present themselves with pain. Once the pain is minimalized, your dentist will try to make you relax and feel as comfortable as possible. Your dentist will now proceed to examine the issue and determine the right cause of action.

Just like in other emergency medical treatments, your emergency dentist will begin the procedure by obtaining detailed information about you and the history of any dental treatment you have received in the past. This helps them with identifying the problem as well as determining the right type of treatment to administer at that instant. If possible, ensure you have some medical records with you if you have received treatment for any oral condition in the past.

The next course of action may be an x-ray to help the dentist assess the extent of the emergency. The exact picture of how your dental condition is will also help him/her come up with the most effective treatment plan. Once the situation is in clear view, your dentist will discuss with you all the available treatment options to help correct the issue and also ease your pain.

The advantage here is in working with a dentist who is well-trained and experienced in emergency dentistry. Such a dentist will be sure to recommend the most effective treatment option and also educate his/her clients on each treatment option they have. This helps the patient to make an informed decision on their dental health. The main concern for the dentist here is to alleviate your pain and ensure that the issue is not escalating.

How to Avoid Potential Emergencies

Dental emergencies should be taken seriously, just like other emergencies involving the general well-being of a person. Some of these emergencies are life-threatening, and others can escalate to unmanageable health issues later on in life. Many people have lost their natural teeth out of negligence. Others are paying so much money for dental care, which could have been easily prevented. The problem is that many people do not take their oral health with the seriousness it deserves. There is so much that we can do at home to prevent some dental emergencies listed above. If we do our part, we should be able to handle inevitable emergencies that come in the future. Some of the ways through which you can prevent dental emergencies today include:

Getting the Right Information

There is so much on dental health that is unknown to people out there. We invest our time and money in learning about other health-related issues that we forget about oral health, which is equally important. People need to know how to take good care of their teeth, and other surrounding tissues, to be able to prevent some of the dental emergencies they experience every day. It is also essential to stay informed about the symptoms to look out for, and what to do in case of an emergency. It gets a little less frightening when you know what to do at all times

Maintaining an Excellent Oral Care Routine at Home

Dentists will tell you that keeping your mouth clean at all times is a sure way to prevent some of the common dental health issues experienced every day. It includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day; when you get up in the morning and at night before going to bed. Take time when brushing your teeth to ensure that you clean out all the dirt and reach out to the hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. An excellent choice of brush and toothpaste will make a massive difference in how thorough you are every time you set to clean your teeth. If you keep this up, you may be able to avoid serious dental emergencies in the future.

Reduce Your Daily Sugar Intake

Sugar is damaging to both your oral health and overall well-being. Take note of how much sugar you are taking every day and reduce it. Whenever you eat or drink something sugary, you increase the acidity levels in your mouth. The excess acid will eventually attack the enamels of your teeth, weakening them, and removing all the essential minerals. When this happens repeatedly, you are left with damaged teeth, resulting in cavities.

Maintain a Regular Schedule for Dental Checkups

Do not wait until there is a problem to visit the dentist's office. The recommendation is to have a dental visit at least every 4 to 6 months, even when everything feels fine. Regular visits to the dentist will help identify and treat some of the dental issues you may be experiencing before they get out of hand. When dental problems are diagnosed and treated on time, there will be minimal chances of experiencing a dental emergency.

Find an Emergency Dentist Near Me

Dental emergencies can be experienced anytime, even for a person who has been taking good care of their oral health. It could be through a fall or an accident. That is why it is good to know when to call for emergency dentistry services, and who to call when an urgent issue comes up. At La Puente Emergency Dentist, we offer quality dental emergency services to residents of La Puente, CA. We are always available to dental patients that are in pain or discomfort and are seeking immediate assistance. Call us at 626-995-1640 for reliable services.