We tend to think of emergency situations involving ambulances and sirens. But the truth is that only 1 in 6 (17%) of patients arrive at the emergency room via ambulance. The rest bring themselves or are brought by family or friends because something is wrong, and they know it. A dental emergency is what you think it is – severe dental pain, a tooth that has been knocked out or come out of its socket, for instance. In any dental emergency, contact Smiles of Punta Gorda in Punta Gorda, FL. Dr. Jeremy Martin can almost always see you on a same-day or next-day basis.
That’s An Emergency, Right There
Teeth don’t get the respect they deserve. If someone was in danger of losing a toe, an ER visit would be completely warranted. Just like toes, teeth are designed to last a lifetime with care. Losing a tooth is a big deal that can affect the foods you eat and your self-esteem. Tooth loss can also result in loss of the bone where the tooth used to be anchored.
Severe pain in your tooth or jaw is also a dental emergency. If someone had severe head or abdominal pain, they’d be in the ER. Why do so many people try to tough out dental pain? That kind of pain is almost always due to an infection. Left untreated, that infection can spread to the bloodstream where it has been shown to contribute to heart problems, lung problems, inflammatory diseases like arthritis, various forms of cancer, and many other potentially serious medical conditions.
A broken (not missing) tooth needs prompt dental care. Broken teeth expose the inner tissues to disease-causing bacteria. Again, those bacteria can get into your bloodstream eventually. If you had an open wound, you’d seek medical care, wouldn’t you? A broken tooth is an open wound.
First Steps
If a tooth has been knocked out, you can try to reinsert it into the socket. Handle the tooth carefully; be careful not to touch the root. Rinse it under clean water. If you’re successful in reinserting it, leave it alone! Don’t wiggle it with your tongue or chew on it. With luck, it may take root again and you’ll have avoided a lot of problems and expense.
If you can’t reroot the tooth, put it in a small container of milk – which helps to keep it vital – and call our Punta Gorda, FL office at once at 941-585-0424. Dr. Martin can often succeed in re-implanting a tooth even if you weren’t successful.
Severe dental pain should never be ignored. Teeth aren’t supposed to hurt, and pain indicates that something is wrong. Time equals teeth in many cases. The longer you let the pain persist untreated, the greater the likelihood of tooth loss. The worst thing you can do is to try to tough out the pain; it’s only going to get worse.
If severe dental pain suddenly stops, you might think that things are fine. Not so, unfortunately. A sudden lack of pain can indicate that the nerve in the tooth has died. There’s likely an advanced dental infection, and you definitely need to be seen.
Get Same-Day or Next-Day Help
Smiles of Punta Gorda in Punta Gorda, FL provides dental emergency care when you need it. Call our office at 941-585-0424 at once. Dr. Martin will act quickly to get you out of pain and make every attempt to save your tooth and clean up any underlying infection.