A dental emergency is an unexpected, often horrific, dental experience often accompanied by a great deal of pain and panic. A sudden toothache, breaking of a tooth, an unexpected injury, etc. can all be considered examples of dental emergencies.
Dental emergencies can happen at any time. You must visit your dentist in the case of a dental emergency, not a hospital emergency room. Emergency medical staff may be able to give you something for the pain, but there is not much else that they can do.
Most dental clinics also include emergency reserve times in their working schedule so they can take in patients who need urgent care.
Here are some of the most common dental emergencies that people usually experience:
- Sudden severe toothache
- Unexpected damage to the teeth
- Teeth getting knocked out
- Injury to soft tissues
- Dental restorations coming loose.
As it is, visiting a dentist is not a very pleasant experience for most people. When a dental emergency strikes, the experience can be even traumatic to the patient. However, a visit to the dental clinic or even a dental emergency is not something that you need to look at negatively. In this article, we give you a few tips to stay calm even during an emergency situation.
Breathe deeply
Breathing deeply calms the nervous system and helps in managing anxiety, even in situations like a dental emergency. Doing this will help you focus on the present and will help you think clearly. If you are prone to panic attacks, it is possible that you may experience one during dental emergencies. Breathing deeply can help you stay calm and prevent the onset of a panic attack, or relax if you are already experiencing mild panic. After getting to the clinic, staying calm will also help you cooperate and communicate with the dentist.
Dental emergency kit
Whenever there is a dental emergency, chances are there is bleeding or an injury of tooth is involved. Such a circumstance can make the patient nervous and anxious. Therefore, it becomes essential to provide temporary aid to the teeth until the patient reaches the dentist.
Look for any dental emergency kit near you. A dental emergency kit contains a sterile gauze, pain killers, disposable gloves, a little container to store a knocked out tooth. It may be a good idea to keep one of these kits at home, much like a first aid kit. The gauze, pain killers etc. will help the patient relax and stop excessive damage until they reach the dentist.
Analyse the seriousness
Once you are in a calm and relaxed state, consider the injury or the affected area. If the treatment seems severe, reach your dentist right away, without waiting for anyone. If the injury seems way too deep and the bleeding doesn’t seem to stop, reach your nearest hospital. You can also visit the ER if you observe deep cuts and wounds. However, if you do not experience any of the above situations, it is safe to say your situation is not life-threatening and you can calm down and relax yourself.
Contact your dentist
Whenever you experience a dental emergency, contact your nearest dentist as soon as possible. It will help them book the earliest appointment possible for you. However, if the teeth and mouth have suffered too much injury and the condition of the mouth seems severe, it is recommended to visit the dentist right away without appointment. Sometimes, reaching a hospital is also advised.
Provide relief
If you or someone else has experienced the emergency, it is necessary to experience a certain amount of relief so it becomes easier to stay calm. You can use an ice-pack for pain relief. Gently apply the ice-pack to the outside of the mouth. This will provide a cooling effect as well as a numbing effect. It may also help in pain management. Pain relieving medications like aspirin can also be used to relive the pain. Also provide the patient with drinking water, it will help him calm down. All these strategies will greatly help the patient manage the pain and discomfort until he reaches the dentist.
Stop bleeding and cover wounds
Upon experiencing a dental emergency, a patient becomes anxious and scared. The situation worsens if there is any bleeding. So to calm the patient as well as stop excessive blood loss, it is essential to aid the bleeding. The sterile cotton can be used to clean up the blood and the sterile gauze from the dental kit can be used to cover up wounds.
Inform the dentist
Once you reach the dentist safely, let them know if you are experiencing anxiety. Dentists have experience performing procedures for anxious patients and calming them down. They will explain the complete procedure and will also make sure that you feel relaxed during the procedure. Your dentist will also carry out the procedure extra slowly so you feel calm and comfortable. They will also make sure to give you breaks during procedures if you feel overwhelmed.
Importance of keeping calm
Although it is very hard, it is very important to stay calm and maintain cool during a dental emergency. It can be hard to do so for some people as it is natural to be worried about yourself when experiencing a dental crisis. A lot of us freak out just as soon as we see any bleeding or deep injury. The key is to observe the situation calmly, focus on the next step, and to take deliberate steps to calm ourselves. If we are not able to do so, we may even worsen the situation.
Panicking and being anxious increases blood pressure, making bleeding worse. If you manage to stay calm, you will not only help in reducing the bleeding but also in decreasing pain and discomfort. Keeping calm will also help you maintain a clear head. You’ll be able to think fast and will be able to take the right decisions. Whereas, if you are unable to soothe yourself you may hurt yourself or your teeth by taking wrong decisions.
