In fact, neglecting to seek emergency dental treatment as soon as you know you have an emergency can result in lifelong effects to your dental health and the appearance of your teeth — and no one wants that!
Could you have a real dental emergency on your hands? Find out with this list of the top four signs that indicate you need to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible:
A chipped or cracked tooth
If you’ve chipped or cracked your teeth, you will need to see a dentist right away. To ensure the chipped-off tooth can be repaired, you should keep it in either a cup of milk or your own saliva to preserve it until you can get to an emergency dental clinic.
A knocked-out tooth
Losing one of your adult teeth can happen after a number of circumstances — but no matter what caused it, you’ll need to see an emergency dentist right away if you want to have your tooth salvaged. Usually, your own tooth can be re-placed in your gums if you see a dentist within two hours of it being knocked out.
A dental laceration
If you get a cut inside your mouth that won’t stop bleeding, you should seek help at an emergency dental clinic to get the wound stitched up. Until you can see an emergency dentist, you should keep a piece of gauze over the wound to help stem the blood flow a bit.
A toothache that won’t go away
Chronic toothaches aren’t just bothersome — they are also likely to be an indicator of a worse problem looming inside your mouth. If your tooth has been hurting for more than a few days, you could have a dental abscess or another serious condition, so it’s important to seek out emergency dental services as soon as you can.
Have you ever needed to visit an emergency dentist? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.