Do you need an Emergency Dental Appointment?
Dental emergencies are a common occurrence. While Americans place an emphasis on dental health — we spend approximately $775 million on toothbrushes each year — sometimes dental complications occur that we can’t predict or prevent. Emergency dental appointments when such a complication arises might not be ideal, but they are very important, to ensure your teeth stay healthy. After all, the longer you put off emergency dental appointments, the bigger that emergency can grow.
Here are some of the main signs that indicate the need for emergency dental appointments:
Long-lasting tooth pain: Tooth pain that lasts more than several days might be an indicator of tooth decay or a dental abscess. In any case, you should see an emergency dentist to evaluate the problem. The tooth pain might also be a sign of an untreated cavity. According to the CDC, about 15.6% of children aged 6 to 19 in the United States have untreated dental cavities, and approximately 23.7% of those aged 20-64 have untreated dental cavities.
Knocked out or broken tooth: Did you know about 30 million Americans are missing at least one tooth? Tooth loss can occur due to a number of reasons, including sports injuries, car accidents, physical altercations, disease or decay of the tooth itself, or in some cases just biting down on something very hard. If one or more of your teeth get knocked out or broken in an accident, it’s essential to go to an emergency dentist office for help. The longer you wait on emergency dental appointments, the less chance there is of the dentist being able to successfully re-implant your tooth! Immediately place the tooth in either milk or water to help keep it safe while you’re en route to your dental appointment.
A dental crown or tooth filling falling out: A dental crown or tooth filling can fall out for a number of reasons, including underlying tooth decay. To make sure your crown or filling is replaced quickly without leaving your sensitive tooth exposed, see an emergency dentist.
Did you know that the CDC reports that only 61.6% of people aged 18 to 64 have had a dental visit in the last year? A general dentist should provide a phone number with which you can make emergency dental appointments. Ask him or her today for information about emergency dental appointments so you can be prepared when one arises!
