While some kinds of dental problems can wait until you get an appointment during regular office hours to get taken care of, there are others that simply need an emergency dental appointment in order to alleviate severe pain or reduce chances of permanent damage. Let’s go over a few of the different reasons why you might need an emergency call to the dentist office.
One problem that tends to happen to children quite often, but adults as well, is a chipped or broken tooth. Accidents and athletic events are quite often the cause of a broken tooth, but whatever the reason, there are some things you can do to help make things better. If possible, save any pieces of the broken tooth in warm water, while stopping bleeding in the mouth with sterile gauze. Don’t be alarmed if bleeding in the mouth lasts up to 10 minutes or more. Once the bleeding has stopped, use an ice pack to help keep the swelling down and head to the dentists office as soon as possible. Your dentist will need to examine the tooth to make an assessment of repairing or replacing it.
A similar problem is when a tooth gets entirely knocked out. If there is any tissue attached to the tooth do not disturb it, merely rinse the tooth in warm water. There are times when a tooth can be immediately replaced back into the gums in its original position where it will re-root itself and never have another problem. This should be attempted immediately if possible, however if not, save the tooth in a small cup of milk and head immediately to your emergency dentist, preferably within the hour.
These are several of the emergencies, that if possible, should go directly to an emergency dentist. Obviously, it is not always possible to get to an emergency dentist in Baltimore so an appointment should be made immediately the next day. Then the dentist can possibly salvage some of the broken or dislodged teeth. Either way medical advice should be sought in order to avoid other more serious complications.