A lot of different situations can have you rushing to find a dentist in a short amount of time, and more often than not it generally has to do with some sort of tooth pain. You can’t always prevent dental emergencies, but you can learn what to look for and what actions to take. Sometimes a quick response is the only difference between losing a tooth and saving one. Sunridge Dental Care can help you prepare for and treat dental emergencies in Albuquerque, starting by looking at what constitutes a dental emergency. Here are a couple things to keep in mind when you think you are in the midst of a dental emergency:

What Makes It An Emergency?

Ultimately, it’s your call. “Dental emergency” describes a high priority issue with your teeth and surrounding tissue­, meaning: you have a problem and you need it fixed right now! Here are some examples of a dental emergencies:

• Knocked-out tooth
• Fractured tooth or surrounding bone
• Infection (signs include fever, dental/facial pain, swelling)
• Toothache
• Tears, wounds or lacerations to the cheek, lips or tongue
• Broken crown
• Broken dentures

What To Do When There’s An Emergency

Immediately contact your dentist to make arrangements for treatment. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with warm water, use a cold compress to reduce swelling and take ibuprofen for pain (not aspirin, as it can cause excessive bleeding).

What Kind of Treatment  Should I Expect?

Treatment depends on the specific injury, but common procedures include tooth extractions, emergency root canals, sedative fillings and treatment for esthetic emergencies, like a chipped tooth.

Sunridge Dental Care offers same day emergency appointments and walk-ins, so you never have to worry about waiting days or even weeks to see a dentist. You also don’t have to worry about having a “serious enough” emergency. If it’s an emergency to you, it’s an emergency to us and we take it very seriously!

Preventing Dental Emergencies

Some dental emergencies just can’t be prevented, but a few simple precautions can save you potential pain and trouble:

• Never use your teeth to cut or tear something
• Don’t chew on hard candies, food or ice
• Wear a mouth guard while playing sports
• Regularly brush, floss and go in for teeth cleanings

Being Prepared

Putting together a dental emergency kit can save you time and possibly further injury. First, have dental contact information ready.

Second, put together a small emergency kit so you won’t be racing to find the items you need. It’s helpful to include a handkerchief or tissues, gauze, a small container with a lid and ibuprofen. You’ll also need your own dental insurance information, if applicable.

You never know when a dental emergency will happen, but having a plan is the first step to minimizing the stress and pain an injury can cause. If you are unfortunately facing a dental emergency, give Sunridge Dental Care a call. Your dental healing is important to us!