No one wants to have a dental emergency. Nonetheless, these unfortunate accidents do happen. And when they do, you need to have an experienced and compassionate emergency dental team on your side. Oakville Place Dental is Toronto’s leading emergency dental clinic. Please contact us at (905) 842-6030 for urgent care.
Many dental emergencies are accidents; however, there are steps you can take to minimize their likelihood. In this article, we will explain the most common causes of dental emergencies and the best strategies for avoiding them in the first place.
Cavities do not go away on their own. Once you have tooth decay, it must be removed and filled by your dentist. However, what happens if you don’t even know that you have a cavity?
Like most oral health issues, cavities do not cause pain in their early stages. Your dentist will be able to spot a small cavity during one of your routine checkups and cleanings, which is why you should never skip appointments. Otherwise, a minor cavity may be steadily worsening within your mouth.
An untreated cavity can lead to a dental emergency. The tooth decay eats through the protective enamel, leaving the inner layers of the tooth vulnerable to bacterial attacks. This can lead to infections, abscesses, and excruciating pain.
Most dental emergencies are accidents. Car accidents, sports injuries, bad falls, and comparable incidents can severely damage your mouth. Strong impacts can fracture, crack, or chip your teeth. A tooth may become loose in its socket or even knocked out entirely. You may also experience severe bleeding, gum injury, a broken jaw, or another form of facial trauma.
If a tooth has been completely dislodged, try to collect it. Pick it up by the crown, rinse off any dirt (do not scrub), and keep it in a cup of salt water. Your dentist may be able to replant the tooth, but you need to be in the dentist’s chair within the hour.
A lost or broken filling or crown needs to be treated right away. Otherwise, the affected tooth may sustain further (and irreparable) damage. Since the inner layers of the tooth are exposed when a filling or crown falls out, your tooth is also vulnerable to infection.
Tasting metal is an indicator that a filling or crown has become dislodged, loose, or cracked.
Braces are designed to withstand daily wear and tear, but they’re not indestructible. Mouth injuries, eating hard or sticky foods, aggressive brushing, and poking at them with a toothpick can all cause braces to break. If this happens, you need to contact your emergency dentist at Oakville Place Dental.
Broken orthodontics can cause significant injury to the soft, inner tissues of your cheeks and gums. Broken wires and loose or dislodged brackets are sharp enough to slice up the inside of your mouth if you don’t act quickly.
Try to push the broken wire into a more comfortable position that protects your cheeks and gums. Alternatively, cover the exposed end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or a piece of gauze. Then, visit our clinic in Oakville.
Dental abscesses are a very serious threat to your oral and overall health. You must contact our Oakville clinic immediately for urgent treatment.
A dental abscess is a severe infection at the root of your tooth or in the space between your teeth and gums. If untreated, the infection will spread to the surrounding teeth, jaw, and gum tissue. It can even infect other parts of your body if it enters the bloodstream. Your tooth may also fall out.
Severe gum disease, untreated cavities, and broken teeth can cause dental abscesses to form. They often look like a white pimple on your gums and can be accompanied by a fever and swollen gum line.
Practicing good oral hygiene can help prevent dental emergencies. A healthy mouth is less likely to develop cavities, gum infections, and dental abscesses.
Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily to remove plaque. Plaque is a thin layer of bacteria that slowly eats away at your gum enamel, leaving your teeth vulnerable to serious cavities and infections. If plaque is not removed, it hardens and turns into tartar, which can only be removed with special tools used by a dental professional.
Sports (and physical activity, in general) are part of a healthy, happy, and vibrant lifestyle. However, sports accidents happen all the time, particularly in contact sports. These incidents can severely damage your teeth, causing cracks and chips. In worst-case scenarios, teeth can be knocked out.
Protective mouthguards are a must if you or your child play sports. A custom-made, high-quality mouthguard from your dentist is the best way to protect your smile on the court or field. Although store-bought mouthguards will do in a pinch, they offer a less-than-perfect fit and, therefore, weaker protection.
Your teeth are strong, but they are not tools. You should never use your teeth to do the job of scissors or bottle openers—they are not up to such tasks. There is a good chance that you will chip, crack, fracture, or break a tooth in the process. It’s not worth it!
Instead of enlisting your teeth to do non-tooth-friendly things, just get up and fetch the scissors or bottle opener from the kitchen. Your smile (and your emergency dentist in Oakville) will thank you.
Our final tip for preventing oral health issues and dental emergencies is simply to visit your dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings.
Your dentist’s job is to help maintain your oral health and prevent problems from developing. However, we can only do that if you stick to your biannual appointment schedule.
Every time you visit our clinic, you receive a thorough dental cleaning and examination, which is crucial for your ongoing oral health. We remove plaque and tartar build-ups to prevent tooth decay, treat cavities, and look for signs of developing dental issues like gum disease and oral cancer.
Don’t skip your routine appointments! They are crucial for preventing dental emergencies and maintaining a healthy, vibrant smile.
Oakville Place Dental is a trusted emergency dental office here in Oakville. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please contact us as soon as possible. That way, we can get you the help you need to start feeling better and begin healing. We also need to minimize the damage caused by your emergency, and prompt treatment is the best way to do that.
Our accommodating staff will do everything possible to treat your dental emergency promptly, and put an end to your discomfort. We also work with your insurance company, billing them directly whenever possible.
When you visit our Oakville clinic, the emergency dental team will administer the highest standard of dental care. Our clinic is equipped with cutting-edge technology, so we can treat your emergency quickly, comfortably, and effectively.
For an emergency dentist in Oakville, call Oakville Place Dental at (905) 842-6030 or contact us here.
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