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It’s an unfortunate fact of life that we never know what’s around the corner. One day life may seem fine, your health might be good, and you haven’t a worry in the world – the next day, everything goes pear-shaped. 

And so it goes with our teeth. Sometimes we get the early telltale signs of a looming dental problem, but other issues can come on suddenly. There’s never a good time to deal with a dental emergency, but we’re always here to help at Nu Dental. 

Getting treatment for some problems is more pressing than others. So, what is classed as a dental emergency?

This guide will discuss what you should do if you’ve got a sudden dental crisis. 

What’s Classed As a Dental Emergency?

Generally, your dental appointments for checkups and cosmetic procedures are booked in advance, as there’s not usually any great rush.

But when the issue is an emergency, we’ll want to see you as soon as possible – ideally that same day. The problems include: 

• When you’re in considerable dental pain
• When you’ve severely damaged your tooth
• If you’re bleeding
• If there’s excessive swelling
• If you’ve received trauma to your teeth

If you’re in doubt, ring the clinic and ask our team for advice.

What Isn’t Classed As a Dental Emergency?

Although some dental problems seem to come on suddenly, there’s not always cause to see them that same day for treatment. For instance, if you’ve just developed sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink or have a mild toothache, you may have a cavity. 

Although cavities will progressively get worse and cause more severe dental problems, as long as we see you sooner rather than later, we’ll be able to fill the tooth before it gets worse. Call and get a regular appointment at the next convenient opportunity if you think you have a cavity.

What To Do Before Your Emergency Appointment?

Once you’ve got in touch, we’ll aim to see you at the earliest opportunity. But there are steps you can take in the meantime to relieve pain and preserve damaged or missing teeth ahead of treatment. 

To reduce dental pain, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. Applying a cold compress to your face can also help. 

If you lost an entire tooth, we might be able to save it. Rinse it, pop it back in your mouth, and bite down on a cloth to hold it in place.

If you cannot do this, place the tooth in milk until you can see us.

An abscess is a severe dental emergency that needs addressing before it spreads. Although you’re likely to be in considerable pain, avoid taking painkillers or using numbing gels before seeing you, as it may interfere with the medication we provide. 

Rinse your mouth with saltwater immediately before your emergency dental appointment. This will bring abscess pus to the surface. 

Nu Dental – Here for Your Emergency Dental Needs

Call us immediately if you’re experiencing severe pain, swelling, or bleeding or have suddenly lost a tooth through trauma. We’ll do everything possible to see you that same day. 

For urgent advice and high-quality treatment, call 01274 003241.