What Treatments Can Emergency Dentists Do?

Are you a someone who only goes to the dentist when there is a tooth emergency?

Research has shown that around one-third of the UK population are ‘problem-orientated dental attenders’, meaning they only visit a dentist when they are suffering from a dental emergency, rather than attending regular check-up appointments every year.

But what exactly happens at an emergency dental appointment? What treatments can emergency dentists do?

We will outline a few key facts about emergency dental care, which we hope you find useful.

What is an emergency dentist?

An emergency dentist is trained specifically to deal with dental emergencies.

A dental emergency requires immediate attention, in order to minimise the risk of serious medical complications or prevent long-term dental complications.

Many emergency dentists (such as us at Didsbury Dental Practice) offer out-of-hours emergency care so that patients can access these services outside of 9-to-5 working hours.

If you need urgent dental treatment, call your dentist, as they may be able to offer you an emergency appointment. You will usually be seen immediately or within 24 hours.

If the dental practice is closed, then their answerphone message will advise you on what to do.

If you don’t have a dentist, or you cannot find an emergency dental appointment, use the NHS 111 online or telephone service.

What constitutes a dental emergency?

A dental emergency is a tooth problem which requires urgent intervention from a dental professional, as it could lead to further medical problems if left untreated.

You should book an emergency dentist appointment as soon as possible if you experience any of the following dental emergencies:

Uncontrollable dental haemorrhage following extractions.
Rapidly increasing swelling around the throat or eye.
Excessive bleeding after tooth extraction which persists even after biting into gauze.
Trauma confined to the dental arches.
Excruciating tooth pain.
Severe dental and facial painwhich does not go away with over-the-counter medications.
Trauma to the face, mouth or jaw.
A knocked-out or broken tooth.
Dental and soft tissue acute infection.
Swelling of the gums, cheek, or face.
Partially dislodged tooth.
Abscess (build-up of pus that forms in the teeth or gums, caused by an infection).
Mouth ulcers that have not healed after 2 weeks.

What treatments can emergency dentists do?

An emergency dentist can carry out a wide variety of procedures because they are equipped to deal with any type of tooth emergency.

Whether you have inflamed gums, infected wisdom teeth, or have suffered a blow to the face, the emergency dentist will provide expert care, to treat the problem and make you feel better.

So, what treatments can emergency dentists do?

The emergency dentist can:

Stop any excessive bleeding.
Treat any tooth infections.
Extract a tooth.
Minimise any long-term damage to the teeth, gum, or mouth.
Offer the appropriate care and advice if you have excessive tooth pain, facial swelling, gum disease or tooth decay.
Carry out incision and drainage or emergency root canal treatment if you have a dental abscess.
Prescribe antibiotics to treat a dental abscess or tooth infection.
Replace a lost filling, damaged dental crown, or broken dentures.
Fix a broken, cracked or chipped tooth (e.g. by gluing the fragment of the tooth back on, or by giving a filling or crown).
Re-insert a knocked-out tooth in your mouth, or replace it with an artificial tooth.
Refer you for further examinations or treatment, if the problem is more serious.

As you can see, there are many ways in which an emergency dentist can help you in a tooth emergency.

If you are experiencing a genuine dental emergency, many things could go wrong if you don’t get your toothache looked at by a dentist. Your tooth pain or inflammation may become more severe and thus require more intense treatment to fix.

Ignoring a very severe toothache could have harmful consequences for your oral hygiene and even your long-term health.

For instance, the pulp inside your tooth may become infected– which can lead to a dental abscess, severe gum inflammation, or other serious complications.

Moreover, your severe toothache may be an early indicator of gum inflammation or a bacterial infection. But if you don’t visit a dentist, then this may develop into periodontitis, which damages the soft tissue and, without treatment, can destroy the bone that supports your teeth.

Dental emergencies can also affect the entire body- as the bacteria in your mouth can also enter into your bloodstream and create problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other medical issues.

Hence, it is important to see a dentist as soon as a tooth emergency happens. The earlier you get seen by a dental professional, the faster they will be able to help you overcome your problem, prevent further damage, and instruct you on the correct aftercare.

When does a toothache become an emergency?

If your toothache is mild, then it does not count as a dental emergency. It is normally okay to wait 24 hours, to see if your toothache goes away with the help of painkillers.

However, by day 2, if your tooth pain has worsened, and you have started experiencing more severe symptoms (such as bleeding, swelling, and being unable to chew), then you should make a dentist appointment as soon as possible.

If your toothache is very serious from the onset (for instance, if you have suffered a blow to the face), then you should see a dentist as quickly as you can. This would be a genuine tooth emergency, which requires fast intervention from a dental professional.

What are home remedies for toothache?

A toothache can go away on its own, or after you use home remedies.

Take Ibuprofen, paracetamol, or over-the-counter tooth pain gels, but never more than the recommended dosage.

You can also try holding a cold compress to the side of your face to reduce swelling.

Additionally, rinsing your mouth with salt water can ease tooth inflammation. Children should never do this, however.

Research has shown that peppermint tea bags can soothe sensitive gums and numb pain, as it kills bacteria found in the mouth. Simply pour boiling water over a peppermint tea bag and wait for it to cool. While the tea bag is slightly warm, apply it to the affected area.

If none of the above methods offers you any relief, and your pain and symptoms worsen, then consult a dentist as soon as possible. You may need treatment to resolve the dental problem, especially if there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed (such as gum disease).

Where can I get an emergency dental appointment?

At Didsbury Dental Practice, our emergency dental care is second to none.

Our emergency dental care service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including on Bank Holidays and Christmas Day.

Our team of dental professionals can provide treatment for any type of dental emergency: from severe toothache and tooth infections to broken teeth, lost fillings or gum inflammation.

Didsbury Dental Practice has got you covered, at any time of day or night. Dental emergencies can be very painful, so we offer out-of-hours treatment because we know that dental problems don’t always stick to 9.00 am to 12.00 am.

To book an emergency appointment with us, it is not necessary for you to be an existing patient at our practice.

If you experience a dental emergency, simply call our dental emergency helpline on 0161 413 2509, or walk into our dental practice, and we will aim to see you as soon as possible.

We also offer compassionate dental care for nervous patients, because we understand that dentist appointments can bring on feelings of anxiety. Click here to learn more about our services for nervous patients.

Click here to learn more about the emergency dental care offered at Didsbury Dental Practice.

About Didsbury Dental Practice

We are a 24-hour emergency dentist in South Manchester. Our team is highly experienced, and we deliver a level of patient comfort like no other dental practice. Every patient is treated with the most sophisticated care in a truly relaxed atmosphere.

In addition, all of our staff are multi-lingual. Languages spoken at our dental practice include German, French, Polish, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.

If you need an emergency appointment, call our dental emergency helpline on 0161 413 2835, or walk into our practice and we will aim to see you as soon as possible.

We offer a wide range of dental services and treatments, including teeth whitening, Invisalign, Alias lingual braces, Six Month Smiles Braces and Damon Clear Braces.

To learn more about Didsbury Dental Practice, visit our website here.

Check out our blog to read more articles on all things dental health.

We hope this article has answered the question, ‘what treatments can emergency dentists do?’