When To Get Help & When To Be A DIY DDS

While we, like many other dental practitioners, have closed our office for the time being, we are still available to treat dental emergencies. 

It can be tough for any individual person to determine whether their situation qualifies as a dental emergency, or if they can treat the pain themselves. To keep you and your dentist safe in an extraordinary time, here’s a primer on what constitutes an emergency and how you can handle non-emergency dental issues yourself. 

Root Canal Therapy

Broken, cracked or infected teeth could necessitate root canal therapy. When the pulp of your teeth is exposed, bacteria can enter and infect it. Leave the infection untreated, and you may experience more pain and oral health issues, such as tooth discoloration, temperature sensitivity, even tooth loss. It’s best to treat these situations as quickly as possible to alleviate further pain and avoid additional complications. Please call us if you think you fall into this category.

Extraction Procedures

If you are experiencing trouble eating, migraines and chronic oral pain, you may need a tooth extraction. Signs you may need an extraction include extensive tooth decay, movement in teeth when you bite and jaw stiffness. Pain or discomfort associated with your wisdom teeth may also warrant an extraction, as it can lead to further complications and discomfort. Of course, some oral pain can easily be treated at home, but more serious situations may indicate a diseased tooth, and that means an extraction. In that case, give us a call and talk through your situation with one of our experienced dentists.

Knocked-Out Tooth

No surprise here: Getting a permanent tooth knocked out can be extremely painful. To give yourself the best odds of saving the tooth, you must act fast. Call us at Perimeter Dental Group as soon as possible and let them know what happened. They will be able to guide you through the next best steps until you can be treated. This often means collecting the tooth or any fragments and carefully storing them for re-implantation. Don’t clean or rinse the tooth; store it in milk until you can see a dentist. 

When To Treat Oral Issues Yourself

The best way to prevent oral issues is to continue practicing good dental habits. This means keeping up on your brushing and flossing, limiting foods with added sugars, and using mouthwash as an added step to remove food particles. If you experience a worrisome level of oral pain, consider these tips before consulting your dentist:

• Try an over-the-counter pain reliever, but do not place the medicine in direct contact with your gums, as it can burn the gum tissue
• For toothaches caused by trauma to the tooth, apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek
• Use a saltwater rinse to reduce bacteria and soothe mouth sores
• Clean plaque and food particles between your teeth with dental floss

Know What’s An Actual Emergency

Even when you practice good dental habits, you can’t always avoid oral pain. It’s important to understand when you need help and when you can treat it yourself, especially in times like these. To ensure the safety of our patients and our staff, Perimeter Dental is taking special care to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. Unfortunately, that means our offices may remain closed for the time being. With our emergency services, Perimeter Dental still aims to bring you trusted expertise to get the treatment you deserve. 

Have a dental emergency? Contact us now!

**Please remember: In life-or-death situations, call 911 immediately.