What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

Sometimes dental emergencies are obvious and the course of action is clear, like a sports injury or accident that partially or fully knocks out one or more teeth. In other cases, the problem could be more subtle, like a toothache or gum inflammation, but still require timely dental care. A dental emergency covers situations when you need to see a dentist as quickly as possible, and can afford to wait weeks or even days for your next appointment.

At Manhasset Dental Arts, our team of dentists and dental professionals offer emergency dentistry services for the whole family at our office in Manhasset, New York.

What constitutes a dental emergency?

Trauma to your teeth and gums is one of the most common dental emergencies. If you lose part of or a whole tooth, our dentists may still be able to save it if you have the tooth and get to the office as quickly as possible. 

Other types of dental emergencies may not be as easy to recognize as trauma. For example, you may have an infection or extensive tooth decay, both of which require immediate attention, but you might not know there’s an issue unless you develop tooth pain or other noticeable symptoms of an infection. In general, toothaches are considered dental emergencies so you shouldn’t ignore pain or swelling.

An example of the types of dental emergencies we treat at Manhasset Dental Arts include:

• Dental trauma (broken or knocked-out teeth)
• Infections
• Tooth abscess
• Moderate to severe tooth decay
• Cuts or lacerations to the gums
• Fractured or broken jaw

If you’re not sure if your situation is a dental emergency, the best thing to do is call our office to discuss your symptoms and our team will help you determine if an emergency appointment is necessary. 

Depending on your emergency, you could require anything from a dental filling or crown to root canal therapy. 

How to protect your teeth and gums from dental emergencies

Accidents happen, and sometimes a dental emergency will arise even if you do everything right. The best way to protect your oral health, as well as your teeth, is to practice good oral hygiene, schedule regular dental appointments for a checkup and cleaning every six months, eat a healthy diet, and wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth if you play contact sports.

The biggest threats to your oral health are usually the ones that sneak up and get progressively worse over time, such as tooth decay and gum disease. The more proactive you are about maintaining healthy teeth and gums, the more protected you’ll be from oral health issues down the road.

For more information about our emergency dentistry and other dental services available at Manhasset Dental Arts, contact us today to schedule an appointment at our office in Manhasset, New York.