How To Know You Need To See An Emergency Dentist

You probably already know that having an attractive smile is important. After all, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry conducted a survey that found about 74% of adults think that an unattractive smile can hurt their career success.

While it may seem like you need to see the dentist for any small tooth-related incident to maintain the perfect smile, knowing the situations that actually call for a trip to an emergency dentist will save you from wasting time in the waiting room. Learn everything you need to know about emergency dental care and you can properly take care of your family's teeth.

What is a dental emergency?

In general, a dental emergency is an oral health condition that calls for timely attention from your dentist. Some of the more obvious instances of a dental emergency include a tooth being knocked out or severely cracked. The majority of these cases will result from a sports-related injury, a fall, or biting into a piece of food that's too hard.

How do you know if a situation qualifies as a dental emergency?

Even under this general definition, not every cracked tooth necessitates that you take time out of your day to see a dentist right away. If you have a broken crown, lost filling, minor toothache, or small chip, you can probably wait to visit a dentist during normal visiting hours. You'll feel some irritation in these instances, but you won't put your health at risk by waiting a day or so to seek help.

Having a more severe crack, a tooth that is fully knocked out, or a large piece missing from a tooth does call for a visit to the emergency dentist. These situations have the potential to cause nerve damage or leave your gums open to infection.

If you have pain or experience bleeding and don't know what the primary cause is, you should still seek immediate medical attention. While you may question whether it is an emergency, seeking professional treatment for bleeding or severe pain is always important. Without the help of an emergency dentist, a relatively simple problem could morph into something that requires more extensive and expensive treatment.

Getting the proper care for your teeth is just as important as getting the right care for the rest of your body. Keep yourself in good health by seeking out dental treatment as soon as you need it.