Medical emergencies in television are very dramatic things, full of flashing lights and sirens. In real life, people often bring themselves to the emergency room or are brought by family or friends. Not all emergencies are the life-threatening kind you see on TV. Emergency care is also devoted to relieving suffering and avoiding loss of function. With that in mind, it’s clear that dental emergencies are real emergencies. In any dental emergency, count on Dr. Kory Wallin of Silver Leaf Dentistry in Longmont, CO. Call our office at once at 720-504-2539.
What Qualifies As A Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies typically fall into four categories:
- Tooth loss, whether due to impact or for unexplained reasons
- Tooth damage, including damage to restorations like fillings or crowns
- Sudden, severe pain in the jaw or a tooth, or sever pain that suddenly stops
- Substantial bleeding in the mouth
Tooth Loss
Many teeth are lost due to impact – car crashes, falls, contact during sports, being struck or kicked, and so on. If a tooth has come out of its socket, it’s important to take action quickly if it’s going to be saved.
Avoid touching the nerve at the bottom of the tooth while you rinse it in clean water and while you attempt to reinsert it into the socket. If you’re successful, leave it alone! Don’t wiggle it with your tongue or try to chew with it. With some time and luck, that tooth may re-root itself. That can save you thousands of dollars later on getting that tooth replaced.
If you can’t reinsert the tooth, put it in a small container of milk to keep it healthy for a little while. Call our Longmont, CO office at once at 720-504-2539 for an immediate appointment, and bring the container with you. Dr. Wallin is often able to reinsert teeth so that they’ll take root again.
A tooth falls out for no reason is usually due to gum disease that has damaged or destroyed the root and/or the underlying bone. Gum disease can cause more than tooth loss – it can endanger your health as well. Call Silver Leaf Dentistry for an appointment.
Tooth Damage
Broken teeth and damage to dental restorations can cause a great deal of pain. Worse, they expose the insides of the teeth to disease-causing organisms in the mouth. The worst thing you can try to do is tough it out. The sooner the damage is repaired, the better, so call our office at 720-504-2539. Bring all the pieces of the tooth with you if you can. It may be possible to repair it.
Severe Pain
Unexplained, severe pain in the jaw or a tooth is almost always due to dental infection. Dental infections hardly ever clear up on their own, and the sooner you receive diagnosis and treatment, the better off you’ll be.
If severe pain suddenly stops, it’s likely because the nerve in the tooth has died. You’ll need to get emergency care if you’re going to have any chance of saving that tooth.
Bleeding In The Mouth
Mouths have a really good blood supply, and even small cuts had bleed quite a bit. If you’re experiencing a large amount of bleeding from the mouth, try to stop the bleeding yourself. If you’re not successful after 30-40 minutes, you should visit your local emergency room.
If you’re not sure what caused the bleeding, you should call Silver Leaf Dentistry at 720-504-2539 to schedule an appointment. The bleeding may be due to a broken tooth or restoration that you didn’t notice.
Count On Silver Leaf Dentistry In Any Dental Emergency
When you arrive for your appointment, we’ll take immediate steps to get you out pain if needed. Then, Dr. Kory Wallin will conduct a thorough examination to determine what kind of treatment is needed to avoid future suffering and to preserve or replace your tooth or teeth.
Don’t take chances with your teeth. For any dental emergency, call Silver Leaf Dentistry in Longmont, CO at 720-504-2539 at once for an emergency appointment.