Dental Emergency? Fortin Poirier Takes Care of Your Oral Health!

Whether it’s a toothache or a broken tooth, some dental issues require you to see a dentist as quickly as possible. Since many dental emergencies occur outside of regular business hours, some clinics like Fortin Poirier are open late and on weekends to serve you better. Here are the top five most common cases of dental emergency that require you to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Toothache: the most common dental emergency

The pesky toothache. Everyone’s had one, so you know how painful it can be. Toothaches can be caused by various issues including cavities, infection, a broken tooth and so on. And, of course, they usually come on in the middle of the night making sleep impossible. If this is the case, take an over-the-counter pain medication to help ease the pain. You can also apply an ice pack to the side of your face that hurts. However, do not apply heat as it will likely aggravate the problem. Once your dental office opens for business, call and explain your symptoms. Your dentist will most likely see you the same day.

A knocked-out tooth: a dental emergency that requires quick action!

If you received a blow to the face or another injury that knocked out a tooth, you need to act fast. Time is of the essence if you want to salvage your tooth. If the tooth is intact and put back within 10 minutes, chances are it will take root again. After a couple of hours, your chance of salvaging the tooth has greatly decreased. If your tooth has been dislodged, rinse it under cold water and place it in a jar of cold milk. Then head to the dentist right away!

Severe tongue or lip bite

A severe bite can cause your lip or tongue to bleed. If this happens, apply a clean cloth and light pressure to the wound. For a tongue bite, rinse gently with cold water. You can also apply an ice pack to a lip bite to reduce swelling. However, if bleeding does not stop or if you severed off part of your tongue, go to the emergency immediately.

Chipped or broken tooth

The good news is that the dentist can typically save a chipped or broken tooth. If you break or chip a tooth call your dentist and explain what happened. For example, if the chip is minor, your dentist will likely use a white filling to fix the tooth. Otherwise, a root canal or crown may be necessary.

Lost filling

Losing a filling is not uncommon. Whatever happens, do not panic and call your dentist. Fillings do not last forever and eventually chip, break or fall out. However, you can avoid this with regular dental checkups. If your filling does fall out unexpectedly, do not ignore the problem. In fact, if you do not treat this dental emergency, it could lead to a root canal or tooth loss.

There are many common dental problems that require immediate care. Dentists prepare for these types of dental emergencies by leaving time open in their daily schedules. This means they can see patients at a moment’s notice. If you do have a dental emergency, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. To avoid many dental emergencies, we recommend regular dental checkups. The Fortin Poirier dental clinic takes care of your oral health all year round. Make an appointment today.