Dental emergencies can be just as scary as standard health emergencies; however, you might not know how to deal with one. What are your options when it comes to dental emergencies? You should keep a few things in mind in case you have a dental emergency, as well as understand what sort of situations constitute a dental emergency.

Should You Call 911?

With regard to most dental related problems, calling 911 is unnecessary, simply due to the fact that most dentists do not keep emergency hours, and you will simply have to wait until there is a time when you can visit such an office. There is an extreme exception, however. If you are having a dental related emergency in conjunction with another issue, then it is highly recommended that you call 911. For example, if you were involved in an attack where an attacker damaged some of your teeth, but also possibly gave you a concussion, you should call 911 right away in order to rectify both problems.

Dental Emergency Kit

It is highly recommended that every home prepare a dental emergency kit in the case that you experience a dental emergency. A dental emergency kit most often consists of items that you can easily find around your house that are both common and inexpensive.

A bottle of over-the-counter pain reliever should be present, as this can relieve a small amount of pain that most people experience in their mouth due to a dental emergency, such as a severe toothache.

A sealable container should be readily available in case you lose a tooth and need a convenient, small and easily retrievable item in which to store the tooth. You should also ensure you have milk on hand, as placing a knocked out tooth in milk helps it maintain the right balance of fluid in the tooth's root, increasing the chances the tooth can be restored.

You should have gauze present in case you have suffered any bleeding from a knocked out tooth or damage to the gums. Denture adhesive should be present with those with mouth related appliances. Denture adhesive can usually hold appliances together until provisions can be made with a dentist to repair or replace the damaged appliance.

What Constitutes A Dental Emergency And When Should You Call Your Dentist?

Many people are unsure when they should call an emergency dentist's office due to a dental emergency. If you're unsure whether you should go to a dentist's office, it is best to err on the side of caution and simply make a visit to your local emergency dental office.

There are several things of note that may warrant a dental emergency. You should, by no means, consider this list exhaustive. If you don't see an experience on here that you believe is a dental emergency and you're experiencing it, then by all means, visit your local dentist's office.

Broken orthodontic appliances can warrant an emergency. Although usually breaking an appliance is far from a painful experience, it can be an expensive experience if not dealt with in a timely manner.

If you are experiencing any pain or swelling in your teeth or area surrounding the teeth, such as your gums, or if you feel that this area is particularly warm to the touch, you should call your local dentist right away. You may have an infected tooth or a form of gum disease that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Of course, in the case of any injury where you have experienced a broken tooth or one of your teeth being knocked out, you should make a trip to your local dentist's office as soon as possible. The sooner you contact a dentist, such as those found at Apollo Dental Center, regarding such a problem, the sooner that he or she can fix the problem and with greater accuracy and acumen.