What Does an Emergency Dentist Do?

An emergency dentist offers first line support when you or a family member suddenly has a dental emergency.

This is a good thing since you never know when you will get blindsided by a blow to the mouth or a nasty infection. That is why you should know a few important things about emergency dentists, like what they do and where to find them.

Treatments an emergency dentist provides

For starters, an emergency dentist will:

1. Attach a loose or knocked-out tooth

Trauma to the mouth can cause a tooth to become loose or even fall out. In the case of a knocked-out tooth, a person should pick the tooth up by the crown (never the root) and rinse it with cool or lukewarm water. They should cover the sink drain with a clean towel to avoid washing the tooth down the sink.

If possible, patients should try to put the tooth back before rushing to see an emergency dentist, who will reattach the tooth.

2. Perform an emergency procedure to treat a severe infection

An emergency dentist can treat a badly infected tooth, gum or jaw. For example, a patient with a tooth that has advanced pulpitis is usually in a lot of pain. The person may even have a systemic infection caused by the pulpitis. They would probably be quite ill as a result, and in some cases, the infection may become life-threatening.

When the pain and fever become too much to bear, a person should see a dentist immediately. The emergency dentist will perform a root canal or other procedure. The aim would be to remove the infected tissue. The dentist may also prescribe medication to fight the infection.

If necessary, the emergency dentist will ask for the services of an emergency doctor or an appropriate specialist.

3. Repair a fractured tooth

A fall, an accident or a blow to the mouth can cause a tooth to fracture all the way to the pulp. The fractured tooth usually causes severe pain that must be dealt with immediately. Thankfully, emergency dentists are always at hand to repair fractured teeth.

All a person has to do is contact an emergency dentist and head to their offices to get their tooth fixed.

4. Replace a loose restoration

Sometimes fillings, onlays and crowns come loose and can even fall out. Usually, a loose restoration causes pain and discomfort that may be either minor or excruciating. The most problematic effect of a loose dental restoration is that the tooth becomes vulnerable to infection and breakage.

A person with a loose restoration should head over to the offices of an emergency dentist. At the very least, the dentist will protect the tooth with a temporary restoration.

5. Treat facial trauma

Emergency dentists treat facial trauma caused by a blow or a nasty fall. They will treat the patient for pain and swelling and check the gums, jaws and teeth. The dentist will treat any injuries and refer the patient to an appropriate specialist if necessary.

Keep the contacts of an emergency dentist at hand

You should always have the name and number of an emergency dentist with you. This contact information should be right up there with the number of the mechanic, the pediatrician and other emergency contacts.

If you are looking for an emergency dentist close to you, stop by and find out more about our practice.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dental Excellence of Greenhaven, request an appointment in our Sacramento dental office here: https://www.sacramentosleepdentist.com. Or call us at (916) 293-0504.