What Is A Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency should never be ignored. If damage is done to a tooth or you have severe oral symptoms you should call a dentist right away to have the problem handled. We provide emergency dental services in Swampscott. If you live in the North Shore or work in the Boston area and need to make an appointment for a dental emergency, please do not hesitate to give us a call or contact us to make an appointment.
Dental Emergencies vs Health Emergencies
One thing that is important to understand is the difference between a dental emergency and a health emergency. Anything that is life-threatening or a danger to your health should be handled at a hospital’s emergency department. For example, a patient with a severe head injury should be brought to a hospital.
Examples of Dental Emergencies
There are many different types of dental emergencies. For example, there are emergencies regarding damage to your teeth, there are emergencies regarding damage to dental implements like fillings or crowns, and there are emergencies based on symptoms like oral pain.
What Do I Do If A Tooth Breaks Or Is Knocked Out?
Damage to teeth is a fairly common dental emergency. If a tooth is chipped, broken, cracked, or fully knocked out you will want to see a dentist right away. In the case where a piece of a tooth or the full tooth falls out, you should bring it with you to the dentist. It is recommended that the tooth is held by the crown (the part that is normally exposed) and never the root. The tooth can be submerged in milk or saline solution and should also be cleaned off. The reason to do this, is in some cases a tooth can be re-implanted.
What Do I Do If A Filling or Dental Bridge Breaks?
Another common group of dental emergencies revolves around the different types of dental implements placed into the mouth. For example, fillings can sometimes fall out, feel loose, or even “leak” because of the space between the filling and the tooth. This happens because the tooth near the filling starts to decay and develop a new cavity which can cause the filling to fall out. Bridges, implants, and other dental implants can also break, get loose, or get damaged. You shouldn’t wait to see a dentist if this is the case. Going to a dentist quickly can help you get the implement replaced or a temporary solution.
What Should I Do If I Have A Toothache or Pain?
A painful toothache is often a sign of a bad dental issue. You shouldn’t wait to see your dentist at your next scheduled appointment if you are experiencing severe pain, recurring pain, or sensitivity that makes it hard to eat. It is difficult to know exactly what a toothache or other oral pain means until you visit a dentist. For example, pain can be caused by an infection like an abscessed tooth, it can also be caused by dental decay deep in the tooth’s root. Going to a dentist is your best choice as they will be able to identify what is causing the problem and provide a solution.
Are Dental Emergencies Covered By Insurance?
That depends on a few things. First off your insurance will likely provide different coverage for different procedures. For example, many dental insurances provide full coverage for cleanings and exams but partial coverage for more extensive procedures. The next thing to figure out is if the dentist you are going to is in-network vs out of network and how your dental insurance works within vs out of network insurance. Some plans provide some amount of coverage even when a dentist is out of network.
Emergency Dental Services in The North Shore
If you need to make an emergency dental appointment in the North Shore area please give us a call. Our office in Swampscott Massachusetts provides emergency dental services. For more information please give us a call.