What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can happen without much warning. It’s important to get care quickly before the problem becomes more serious. What’s considered a dental emergency? Here are some of the most common examples:

Broken/Cracked Tooth

When a tooth decays or experiences trauma, it can chip, break, or crack. This weakens a tooth and makes it vulnerable to further damage. Bacteria can also get inside a broken tooth and increase your risk for infection. Broken dental restorations – like crowns and dentures – count as emergencies, too. Even if the damage isn’t obvious, you’ll likely feel symptoms like increased sensitivity and pain.

Knocked-Out Tooth

If your tooth gets knocked out of your mouth, you should move quickly. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, not the root. Rinse it off if you can. Put the tooth back in the socket and bite down on a clean piece of cloth or gauze to hold it in place. You can also put the tooth in a container of milk or your own saliva. Call us right away!

Dental Abscess

An abscess is a tooth infection. You’ll likely experience symptoms like swelling, severe sensitivity, and intense, throbbing pain. Call us right away for treatment. If untreated, infections can cause serious health issues like tooth loss and sepsis, which can be life-threatening.

Emergency Dentistry at Parkside Family Dental in Cary, NC

Unless you have a broken jaw or other injuries to attend to, you’ll want to visit a dentist – not the ER – for dental emergencies. If you’re ever unsure about an issue, give us a call. We’ll determine whether you should see us right away or if it’s safe to schedule an appointment within the next few days. Our dentists hope you never experience an emergency, but if you do, we’re here to help! Please contact us with any questions or to book an appointment.