Dental emergencies can happen more easily than you think. You don’t even have to be involved in a dangerous sport to sustain an injury to one of your teeth. The office of Nicholas J. Hurley D.D.S., P.A., in Thomasville, NC, will do their best to get you into the office as soon as possible. Here, they offer a few tips on what to do until you can see your emergency dentist.

What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

Different scenarios could be considered a dental emergency. In most cases, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible. If they can’t fit you into their schedule, you might have to go to the local emergency room. Here are some examples of dental emergencies:

• Severe toothache
• Swelling in your mouth
• Knocked-out tooth
• Broken tooth

What Should You Do Until You Can See the Emergency Dentist?

What you should do depends on the type of emergency you’re dealing with. If you have with a toothache, you might need pain medication until you can see the dentist. Other problems are dire and need to be treated right away. For example, if you experience swelling in your gums, that can be a sign of an infection. If treated promptly, a bacterial infection is usually not a problem, but without treatment, they can even become life threatening.

A knocked-out tooth must be reinserted into the socket within 30 minutes. Before you put it back in your mouth, you should rinse it with milk or salt water without touching the root. You need to see your emergency dentist as soon as possible if you want to have a chance of keeping the tooth. The longer you wait, the less likely it is the tooth can be reinserted.

Do you need to see an emergency dentist? Give the office of Nicholas J. Hurley D.D.S., P.A., a call at (336) 476-1109. They also offer regular dental care, restorations, and cosmetic dentistry. Visit their website to learn more about the services they offer.