Having a dental emergency is probably something out of someone’s worst nightmare. But just what does a dental emergency entail? And what should you when you’re faced with a dental emergency in Vancouver?
First things first: What is considered as a dental emergency?
Well, according to the Canadian Dental Association, some common dental emergencies include:
- A toothache
- Chipped or broken tooth
- Knocked out tooth
- Badly bitten lip or tongue
- Something stuck between teeth
- Lost filling
You should see your dentist for almost all of these emergencies, with the exception of a badly bitten lip that won’t stop bleeding, that is. In that case, you should head to your nearest hospital’s Emergency room.
When you have a toothache, you should call your dentist to explain any symptoms that you might have and set up an appointment. Make sure that you’ve rinsed your mouth and checked for any food that’s stuck.
It’s advised that you take painkillers, although you should make sure that nothing is on your sore tooth. If you place any painkiller near the gums of your sore tooth, it may burn it.
While an icepack may help soothe some of the pain, don’t use any source of heat around the pain area. This will only make it worse.
In case of a chipped or broken tooth, you should make sure that you save any of the pieces. Rinse your mouth and any broken pieces. Call your dentist, explain what happened and head to the dental clinic. You may only need a filling if the break is small. If it’s worse, then it’s possible that a root canal is necessary or a crown.
If your dental emergency is a knocked out tooth, then it’s important that you see your dentist right away. Bring your tooth with you.
Be sure to rinse the root if it’s dirty but don’t remove any tissue fragments attached to the root. If you’re unable to reinsert the tooth into the socket—don’t force it!—then place it into a container filled with milk. In the event that you’re unable to obtain milk, then a container of water with a pinch of table salt should work.
If you have something stuck between your teeth and you’re unable to remove it by using dental floss, then you should see your dentist. Please do not attempt to remove it using any sharp objects. You will end up with possible cuts on your gums or scratches on your tooth.
In a dental emergency where you’ve lost a filling, you can temporarily fill the cavity with a piece of sugar-free gum. And then you should call your Vancouver dental clinic to set up an appointment.
If you are experiencing any of these dental emergencies, then you should call our Vancouver clinic: 604-255-4001.
