Find out what dental problems require immediate medical attention.
Not everyone knows when a dental problem is actually considered an emergency. It’s important that you know so that you understand when it’s time to receive the proper care. Let our dentist in Irvine, CA, Dr. Greg Schinnerer, give you the urgent dental care you need when you need it. Common dental emergencies include:
- Toothache
- A dislodged or knocked out tooth
- Cracked tooth
- Bitten cheek or tongue
- Broken restoration (e.g. filling; crown; dental bridge)
- Broken braces
There are ways to protect your teeth from certain injuries such as:
- Staying away from certain hard foods and ice chewing if you want to prevent cracks or broken braces
- Wearing a mouthguard during contact sports
- Never using your teeth as tools to open or cut things that aren’t food
If a dental emergency does happen to you, our Irvine, CA emergency dentist sets aside time in his schedule to handle them right away when these problems arise. We know that dental emergencies don’t exactly warn you when they are going to happen, but we make it convenient and easy to get the care you need when you need it. After all, nothing is more important than the health of your smile.
It’s also important to note that handling a dental emergency right away is key to protecting your smile. Whether you have a cracked, loose, dislodged or knocked-out tooth, these are problems that need to be treated immediately. Stop what you are doing and come into our office right away. A tooth that has been knocked out can often be viable if treated within an hour of the incident.
Some people may also find it hard to believe that “toothache” made it on the dental emergency list, but this is a problem that often gets ignored and shouldn’t. A toothache is trying to let you know that there is something more serious happening that you may not see such as decay or an infection. Pain is your tooth’s way of letting you know that you need to seek treatment right away.
While you can ice the swollen, painful areas, take over-the-counter pain relievers and apply numbing gels, these at-home actions should never be a replacement for proper medical treatment.
If you are dealing with a dental emergency isn’t it time you sought the care of someone you trust? Call our Irvine, CA, dental office right away and we can help you get the care that you need.