Dental emergencies can arrive in a variety of forms, and some types are more serious than others. People are sometimes hesitant to contact their dentist when they are going through a dental emergency, wondering if what they are experiencing is a true emergency situation or not.

Here are some dental emergencies commonly experienced by adults and what to do about them if they should occur to you or someone you know.

Severe Pain

Severe pain is always considered to be a dental emergency. If you are experiencing severe pain with your teeth, mouth, or gums, don’t hesitate to contact your dentist right away. They can provide you with prompt pain relief and a treatment to address the underlying cause of your pain. For example, if your pain is due to a dental abscess, you may need to undergo a root canal treatment to remove a damaged or diseased dental pulp.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums may or may not represent an emergency, depending upon what caused them. The gums can sometimes begin bleeding after you vigorously brush or floss your teeth. If this is an uncommon occurrence, simply back off a bit, and brush more gently. You may also need to use a softer toothbrush.

Another situation that can cause gums to bleed is gum disease. If your bleeding is due to gum disease, it will probably occur fairly regularly, especially after you brush or floss your teeth. If bleeding gums is a common occurrence for you, contact us to get it checked out so that we can rule out gum disease.

However, this type of bleeding is not a true emergency, as gum disease is progressive over time. So make that call on Monday to get it checked out.

One situation that involves bleeding gums, as an emergency, is when you experience some type of trauma to your mouth or gums. You may have just been involved in a vehicle accident, or were in a violent collision while playing sports, or some other type of trauma. Whatever the case, contact us right away so that we can check for problems like broken or fractured teeth.

Tooth Knocked Out

Having a tooth get knocked out is a classic dental emergency. Take the following steps, and contact us as soon as possible:

• If you can find the tooth, hold it by its crown and not the root.

• Avoid scrubbing the root or cleaning it with soap or chemicals.

• If possible, return the root into its socket, and keep it moist. If it will not go back into its socket, place it in your mouth next to your teeth.

• You can also place the tooth in a container of milk.

• Visit your dentist immediately. Time is of the essence in saving the tooth.

Always Play It Safe

Dental emergencies can be scary situations, but they normally have good outcomes. If you are ever in doubt about whether your situation qualifies as a true dental emergency or not, assume that it is an emergency and contact your dentist or emergency dentist right away.