Emergency Dentist Specialist

What is a dental emergency?

A dental emergency is any condition that negatively impacts your teeth or gum tissue and occurs suddenly. Many dental emergencies are the result of trauma to your face and mouth.

These are some common causes of dental emergencies:

• Sports injuries
• Trips or falls
• Auto accidents
• Being struck in the mouth

Dental emergencies can also occur when advanced decay causes a sudden painful condition, such as a broken tooth or abscess. 

Can dental emergencies be prevented?

Some dental issues that require urgent care can be prevented, while others cannot. Sports injuries in particular can often be prevented, especially in children.

Research the sports or activities that you or your children participate in, and check to see if mouthguards are available for those specific activities. For example, many football and hockey players wear mouthguards during practice and play. If they encounter a mouth injury, their teeth are protected.

Over-the-counter mouthguards are available, and are often referred to as “boil-and-bite” mouthguards. They offer a degree of protection, but cannot match the benefits offered by custom-fitted mouthguards available through a dental office.

Dentist-grade mouthguards are created from individual molds or imaging taken in your dental office. Those specifications allow your mouthguard to be crafted to fit your unique mouth and dental structure.

In the case of dental emergencies brought on by advanced decay, seeking routine dental care and addressing dental problems as they arise can prevent many emergency situations, including broken teeth and abscesses. 

What should I do in a dental emergency?

The first and most important step is to secure your personal safety. For example, if you’re involved in an auto accident, try to move out of the way of oncoming traffic to a more secure location while you wait for emergency responders. If you’ve sustained additional injuries, be sure that you seek emergency medical care immediately.

The next step is to address any bleeding by using gauze or a clean cloth to apply pressure to the area. If one or more teeth are knocked out (avulsed), try to reposition the tooth into the socket. If that isn’t possible, place the tooth in a small container, and cover with a layer of milk. 

If you are in the Paterson, New Jersey area, call West Broadway Dental right away to determine your next steps. The practice offers walk-in appointments for urgent care needs, and also offers emergency services.