Understanding the importance of having an emergency dentist in Thibodaux, LA when facing a dental crisis

You never know when a dental emergency may happen. Most of us do not want to imagine getting into an accident, fight or other incident that could result in a cracked (or knocked out) tooth or another dental emergency. Eventually a situation will occur that results in you being faced with terrible pain or some other dental issue that cannot wait for a regularly scheduled appointment. Dr. Jared Palmer offers emergency dental services to patients in the Thibodaux, LA area out of his office at Acadia Family Dentistry. If you are facing a dental situation that has resulted in severe pain or a broken, cracked or knocked out tooth that you aren’t sure how to handle, a prompt emergency appointment could be the difference between losing and saving the affected tooth.

The Importance of Emergency Dentistry

Everybody is at risk of being in an accident, which could permanently impact oral health. One example of this could occur when playing sports and a ball hits you in the face causing a tooth to dislodge. If you do not have a nearby emergency dentist who can assist immediately, you run a considerable risk of losing the tooth permanently. Losing even a single tooth can cause long-term negative effects to your physical appearance and overall oral health. This makes it critical that you have an emergency dentist who you can contact that is reliable and will be able to get you in quickly. Prompt treatment will help avoid long-term dental issues that could be troublesome and very costly.

Reasons to Reach Out to An Emergency Dentist

Too many people assume that the only time an emergency dentist should be contacted is if there is apparent threat of tooth loss. This could include a cracked, broken or knocked out tooth. The truth is that there are several situations which should be considered a dental emergency.  Some of these situations include:

• Swelling of the gums that has become very painful
• Bleeding of the mouth or gums that will not cease
• A toothache that is causing intense pain
• A permanent tooth has become loose or knocked out
• An injury to the jaw has occurred

Situations that may not be considered a dental emergency, but in which your dentist should still be immediately contacted, include:

• A bridge or crown that has cracked
• A retainer or night guard that has broken
• A crown or filling has been lost
• A mild toothache
• Pain caused by food stuck in between teeth

In situations considered a dental emergency, visiting your emergency dentist may prevent a series of further dental problems from occurring. Your emergency dentist will be able to repair or replace any damaged dental work, ease any pain you may be experiencing and set the foundation for future dental success.

Despite there being many situations that are considered a dental emergency, a large amount of cases which get called in are for patients worried about tooth loss. This is entirely justifiable as losing a tooth can transform a beautiful smile into one that can become distracting and cause further dental health complications in the future.

Avoid the Emergency Room for Dental Emergencies

Many people, in full panic mode, will go right into the emergency room at their local hospital when faced with a dental emergency. This is a mistake because, although it may seem logical, going to your local emergency room will most likely get you nowhere. This is due to emergency rooms not having personnel on staff who possess the needed skills to handle a dental emergency. By going into your local emergency dentist, you will be in the hands of dental professionals possessing the skills and necessary tools (of the highly specialized tools) who can ease your pain and restore your mouth back to normal.

What to Do Until You Can See Your Dentist

If you are experiencing a toothache, have a broken tooth or your mouth is bleeding, you are experiencing a legitimate dental emergency and should seek immediate assistance. Your first step needs to be reaching out to your emergency dentist before taking any DIY measures of applying anything to your tooth to ease the pain. Until you meet with your emergency dentist, you will not know if you have a major underlying issue such as a dental abscess or advanced tooth decay.

If your tooth has been knocked out, the first thing to do is locate it. Once located, you can preserve the tooth by sticking it in a container of milk. Bring the tooth in with you when you visit your emergency dentist. Receiving this assistance as quickly as you can will determine if you can save your tooth.

If you are interested in learning more about how emergency dentistry can help you or if you are currently experiencing a dental emergency, please call Dr. Jared Palmer at Acadia Family Dentistry in Thibodaux, LA at (985) 303-2920.