When to See the Emergency Dentist in Buffalo Grove

Dental emergencies happen for a variety of reasons. One of the most common is contact sports. It’s no surprise that 30 percent of athletes in a recent study on Olympians’ dental health had suffered a blow to the face. These men and women have an emergency dentist on hand when the unexpected occurs — but what about you? You’ve got some decisions to make in the face of a knocked out tooth, a broken tooth, or a severe toothache. Like determining whether or not you’re actually experiencing an emergency. Here’s how to know when to visit the emergency dentist in Buffalo Grove!

Five Most Common Dental Emergencies

Too many adults delay emergency treatment because they are unsure if they are actually experiencing an urgent situation. But this delay in treatment can greatly affect the overall outcome. Remember that in general, if you are experiencing pain in a tooth, have significant bleeding in the gums, tongue, lips, or cheeks, or if you have broken something in your mouth, you need emergency attention.

The five most common cases Countryside Dental treats as emergencies include:

• A tooth that’s been knocked out
• Broken teeth
• Toothache
• Broken filling, crown, or other dental work
• Foreign object stuck between teeth

A child’s dental emergency can be especially stressful. While we may not try to reattach a primary (baby) tooth that’s been knocked out, the child should still have the area checked out by her dentist. Toothaches in children are often caused by having something (like a large food particle) lodged between two teeth. Before calling the emergency dentist for children’s toothaches, help them floss and rinse their mouth. If pain persists, call Dr. Nagornaya.

What to Do Following a Dental Emergency

When you call your dentist in Buffalo Grove, our experienced team will provide important advice to help you reduce pain, bleeding, and swelling in the meantime. Take an over-the-counter pain medication to ease discomfort until you can make it to the dentist’s office. We may prescribe something stronger after patching up the problem. And reduce swelling by applying an ice pack in 15-minute intervals (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off). Most importantly, if you are bleeding heavily from the mouth, stop the bloodflow by applying consistent pressure with a clean gauze or cloth. If bleeding does not stop or subside soon, please head straight to the emergency room.

Don’t Wait to Seek Emergency Dental Treatment

When the unexpected occurs to you or a loved one, you don’t have time to waste. Act fast to resolve the problem and get your smile back to its good health. Knocked out teeth, for example, have the greatest chance of reattachment when replaced within the first two hours of loss. And an infected tooth causing a toothache can quickly abscess and spread to other parts of your body, like the brain.

Bleeding, pain, and broken teeth or dental work don’t get better on their own. For your oral and overall health, call Dr. Nagornaya, the Buffalo Grove dentist, as soon as possible. We’ll fix the problem and have you on your way soon!