A picture of a dentists office that features equipment used in emergency dentistryEmergency dentistry helps people who experience trauma to their mouth. Oral trauma can cause problems like bleeding, gum wounds, broken teeth or lost teeth. For these issues, you need urgent dental care. Having a general dentist capable of emergency dentistry means you solve emergency problems by seeing your regular dentist, the one who knows your teeth best.

Emergency dental needs usually arise by accident or from biting on hard foods. Mouth injuries cause your teeth to crack, break or become dislodged. For any of these reasons, you need to see your dentist. If you don’t gain quick treatment, you can experience serious long-term problems.

Do you need emergency dentistry?

So when do you need emergency dental attention? Knowing the answer to this question helps you ensure your family gets the care they need when they need it. You also want to avoid the extra expense of unnecessary treatment or emergency room visits.

Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. Some require you to visit the dentist right away. Others can wait until your dental office’s normal weekday business hours.

Mouth injuries often occur from biting on hard foods, sports injuries, falls or other accidents. These cause cracked, broken and knocked-out teeth. The location of your tooth injury and its severity largely determine when you need to see your dentist. Injuries like chipped teeth and minor breaks can wait until normal business hours.

Severe injuries — such as major cracks, missing pieces of tooth or nerve damage — mean you need immediate dental treatment. The same is true for knocked-out teeth. All of these require emergency dental attention.

What to Do for a Knocked-Out Tooth

One of the most common dental emergencies is a knocked-out tooth. While you wait to see your dentist, handle your tooth as little as possible. Try placing it back in the socket. Bite down on moist gauze or even a wet tea bag to help hold the tooth in place, but be careful to not swallow your tooth.

If you cannot get your tooth to remain in its original socket as you go to the dentist, rinse the tooth to remove surface dirt. Keep it in a container of your own saliva or milk until the dentist is ready to treat you. If your gums bleed, apply a cold, wet compress to the socket.

Sometimes you suffer dental emergencies that are more complicated than a knocked out tooth. Some emergencies involve severe pain, such as an abscessed tooth. Call your dentist’s office when you experience severe pain. If they provide emergency dentistry, they may see you outside of regular business hours.

Dental offices often leave appointment slots open for emergency dentistry. However, even if you know your dentist’s office is close, you still need to call. The dentist’s voicemail sometimes provides emergency instructions. The dental staff may determine you need immediate treatment or can help you get through symptoms until the office opens.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

To prevent dental emergencies, follow some simple rules. For everyday protection, avoid crunching on hard foods and candies. Never chew on ice. Be careful when eating popcorn, avoiding unpopped kernels that may break your teeth.

If you play contact sports or engage in risky outdoor activities, wear a mouthguard. A mouthguard protects your teeth from trauma and injury.

If you do experience a dental crisis, call your emergency dentist for instructions.

Emergency Dental Services in Orlando, Florida

In Orlando, S. Keith Mahan, DDS provides emergency dental services. Other services that we provide include:

Having a family dentist who provides emergency services pays off when you need urgent dental help. Call the office of Dr. Mahan at 407-841-7241 for an appointment today.