You can’t always plan for or avoid an emergency of any kind, but you can do a few things to prevent them from happening too often. Dental emergencies are some of those instances that take us by surprise and can turn into a catastrophe if you aren’t prepared to handle them.
Learn more about what constitutes as a dental emergency, how to address them, and the best ways to prevent them from happening to you or your loved ones in this week’s blog post. Your emergency dentist in Virginia Beach wants you to be as knowledgeable as possible!
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
When dental accidents have happened to past patients, they haven’t always turned to their Virginia Beach emergency dentist. Why? Usually, it’s because they didn’t know what constituted a dental emergency.
We’re here to tell you if you’re in pain or your smile is damaged, you’re probably experiencing an emergency. It’s always better to call your local dentist right away to get the appropriate dental care right away. The sooner your dentist can determine the type of emergency you’re facing, the sooner you can relieve your pain and address the accident.
Types of Dental Emergencies
Anytime that you experience excruciating dental pain, bleeding, swelling, or damaged/lost teeth, you have a dental emergency on your hands. However, there are some dental emergencies that aren’t as urgent as others, like a lodged piece of food between teeth. Instead, just schedule a visit to see your dentist.
Here are the urgent dental emergencies that you should visit your dental practice for right away:
- Excessive bleeding that won’t stop, even after applying pressure to the area.
- An accidental lost or knocked out tooth.
- A broken dental restoration that helps to stabilize your tooth.
- A persistent toothache that causes excruciating dental pain.
How Can You Prevent Emergencies from Happening?
Although there’s no bulletproof way to never encounter a dental emergency, there are some things that you can do to avoid putting yourself in harmful situations.
First off, you should always care for your smile because it keeps your teeth and gums in strong, durable condition. This means brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist for excellent preventive care. If you don’t care for your mouth, it can become more vulnerable to dental accidents.
Also, try to avoid biting into hard substances like chewing on ice or always snacking on crunchy nuts. This increases your chance of cracking a tooth!
Finally, don’t insert things into your mouth that aren’t food. If you have a bad pen-biting habit, try to chew sugarless gum to distract yourself. Be sure to only use floss when trying to remove things from your smile rather than a toothpick.
If you need more advice on how to care for your smile, don’t hesitate to reach out to your dentist for help!
About Our Office
Here at Smile Care Dentistry, our team wants you to know that we’re here for you in your time of need. Dental emergencies can be scary! Just know that help is only a phone call away. The minute you get in touch with us, we’re able to walk you through your emergency until you can make it to