Dental emergencies can happen anytime and often without warning. Unfortunately, not every dental practice offers emergency services

Accidents do happen, and at Coastal Dental Care we understand you need reliable and experienced dentists in your time of need. This is why we offer emergency dentistry to accommodate you and your family when emergencies happen.

Coastal Dental Care knows that patients may be unsure of what to do in a dental emergency. By contacting us straight away can often mean the difference between a long, painful experience and treating the symptoms quickly, comfortably and safely.

The top three dental emergencies our emergency dentists see across our Coastal Dental Care practices are:

• Trauma to the tooth
• A painful tooth that needs root canal therapy
• An emergency extraction of a tooth or teeth

What constitutes a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies may include:

• A toothache
• Cracked teeth
• Injury to the soft tissue of your mouth (lips, gums cheeks)
• An extruded tooth (pushed out from position)
• Missing tooth
• Any pain associated with the mouth
• Dental pain that cannot be relieved with generic pain medication
• Swelling of the mouth, cheeks or sides of the face

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s imperative you make an appointment quickly. Our emergency dentists are experienced and qualified for dental emergencies. Don’t wait and see if your dental pain will go away, after all its better to be safe than sorry.

Any dental issues that are left may become more problematic and complex to solve and might make it more difficult to book an emergency appointment.

What to do in a dental emergency?

Firstly, don’t panic! It’s important you familiarise yourself with some common dental emergencies. This will ensure you are able to stop-gap measures until you are able to see a dentist.

If you or a loved one is experiencing a dental emergency, these tips can ease the pain or anxiety until you reach the dentists at Coastal Dental Care.

Fractured or cracked teeth

First, rinse out your mouth with a saltwater solution and clean the area around the cracked teeth. If your mouth begins to bleed, apply constant pressure to stop the bleeding.

Knocked out tooth

Again, salt water is critical. Rinse out your mouth and contact us immediately. Try to find your missing tooth and be sure to bring it with you. If you bring your tooth with you and reach us in within the first hour you have a greater chance of saving the tooth.

Objects caught between your teeth

Swish some warm salt-water solution around your mouth and teeth and try to loosen the object. If it has loosened enough, try to remove it very gently. Don’t try to remove it by force or using any instruments that can further damage your gums or teeth. If the object is still lodged between your teeth, contact us directly or book an appointment online.

Wisdom tooth infection

An infection that is located around a partially erupted wisdom tooth is known as pericoronitis. This infection can be caused by food particles and bacteria becoming lodged under the flap of gum over the tooth.

The symptoms of pericoronitis are swollen and painful gum tissue and surrounding areas like the ear. If you are experiencing pain, rinse your mouth out with a salt-water solution.

Broken or cracked dentures

Many patients may attempt to fix their dentures themselves usually with glue—this is a big no, no. Glue can contain harmful chemicals and toxins and you may accidentally infect them. We recommend bringing the damaged denture to us to get it professionally repaired.

If you are suffering a dental emergency and need a reliable and experienced emergency dentist, contact your closest Coastal Dental Care practice.