Even if you visit your dentist clinic on a regular basis, unpredictable dental emergencies occur. However, with an organ as complex as the mouth, not every sign of pain or irregularity is considered severe. Here are some tips on identifying whether or not you should see and emergency dentist and how to prevent them.

Dental emergencies can be difficult to differentiate from a procedure which can be fixed during regular dental clinic hours. If your mouth is in severe pain, swelling, bleeding or you have a loose adult tooth, it may need immediate action and you should call for an emergency dentist.

An example of a severe dental emergency can be chipping or fracturing a tooth. If you chip your tooth and there is no pain, this is not considered severe, however, if there is pain and even bleeding, this suggests there is not only damage on the outside of the tooth, but possibly inside as well. It is important to call your dental clinic right away in order to save the tooth and ease the pain. You can temporarily treat the pain by rinsing your mouth out with warm water and taking an aspirin. If the fracture was caused by facial trauma, hold a compressed ice back on the affected area.

Another emergency occurrence can be a knocked out tooth. You never know when a simple slip can lead to banging your mouth and popping a tooth right out. Cases such as these can’t wait until your next trip to a dental clinic and need to be dealt with right away by an emergency dentist. You should try to keep the knocked-out tooth as clean and intact as possible by preserving the nerves and tissue at the end. Do not remove them, either try to place the tooth back into the socket or store the tooth in a clean container or cup of milk.

To be prepared for any dental emergency, you should always have your dental clinic’s number in an easy to find area, as well as their after-hour contact information. Depending on the type of the emergency, your dentist will let you know whether you can wait until your next visit or if you should see an emergency dentist right away.

Even though some things are unpredictable, there are ways you can prevent a dental emergency. The most important thing to do is to visit your dentist regularly for routine checkups to make sure your teeth are strong and healthy. This is especially important if you’ll be travelling to a place where dental services aren’t readily available. Your dentist will make sure your mouth is in good health and there is nothing irregular. If you play any sports, a mouth guard can protect your moth from any fractures or knock outs.