Dental emergencies are unpredictable and can be disruptive to your every day life.  In addition to the pain and suffering that often accompanies a dental emergency, your dental emergency can interfere with your work, school, special event or cause a sleepless night.  If you are suffering from a dental emergency, you need treatment from your Calgary dentist as soon as possible.  But what constitutes a dental emergency, and how soon should you call your dental office?  Our Calgary dentist answers your questions below.

 

WHAT CONSTITUTES A DENTAL EMERGENCY?

In most cases, you will know that you are experiencing a dental emergency due to pain, swelling, bleeding or extreme discomfort.  Generally, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should call our Calgary dentist office as soon as possible and schedule your emergency dental appointment:

 

• Uncontrolled bleeding
  
  
• Swelling that lasts more than 24 hours or is getting worse
  
  
• Any tooth, gum or mouth pain
  
  
• A knocked out tooth
  
  
• A blow to the face
  
  
• A cracked tooth
  
  
• A loose or missing crown or veneer
  
  
• Any pain or discomfort in your mouth, teeth, jaw or gums

 

WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER I SCHEDULE MY CALGARY DENTAL EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT?

When you call our Calgary dentist office to schedule your emergency dental appointment, be sure to advise our team member about the specifics of your dental emergency so that instructions can be provided for self-care until you can make it to our dental office.  If necessary, one of our team members will have you speak with Dr. Dirk Thompson directly so that he can provide you with advice pending your arrival to your dental appointment.  Here are some additional tips for some common dental emergencies:

 

Pain and discomfort: Generally, most types of dental pain can be alleviated with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetemetophin (Tylenol).  Prior to taking any of these medications, you should always speak with our Calgary dentist as, if your dental emergency involves bleeding in the mouth or may require a tooth extraction, you should avoid ibuprofen and aspirin containing medications as they can cause an increase in bleeding.

Knocked Out Tooth: Knocking a tooth out is not only startling but can be very painful.  If you or your child knocks out a tooth, immediate action is paramount.  First, try to recover the tooth without touching the roots, rinse the tooth and place the tooth in a clean container of milk (you can even use a clean sandwich bag if a container is not available).  After recovering your tooth, be sure to apply gentle pressure to the gums with gauze to stop any bleeding.  Avoid taking any aspirin or ibuprofen as these medications may interfere with blood clotting. Lastly, call our Calgary dentist immediately and advise our team member that you or your child has knocked out a tooth and needs to be seen immediately.

 

WHAT TREATMENT WILL I HAVE AT MY EMERGENCY DENTAL APPOINTMENT?

The type of treatment that our Calgary dentist will proceed with depends upon the type of dental emergency you are experiencing.  In all cases, the first step will be a dental examination to assess your dental emergency and a review of your health and dental history.  If necessary, dental x-rays will be taken.  If you are suffering from dental pain and it is not readily apparent what the source of your pain is, Dr. Dirk Thompson will do an assessment to determine the source of the pain.  In addition to the obvious culprits of pain in your jaw, teeth or mouth including a badly decayed tooth or a knocked out tooth, moderate to severe dental pain can also be caused by other non-dental factors including your temporomandibular joints, myofascial inflammation, ear infections, sinusitis and even migraines.

 

CAN I BE SEEN TODAY IN CALGARY FOR MY DENTAL EMERGENCY?

In most cases, our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, is able to see emergency dental patients on the same day.  When you call our Calgary dental office, be sure to advise one of our team members that you are experiencing a dental emergency so that we can ensure that your dental emergency is accommodated that day.  This is particularly important when you are in pain as, waiting is simply not an option.  With many types of dental emergencies, including a knocked-out tooth, quick action may result in a more favourable outcome. 

 

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, call our Calgary dentist office at 403.283.4252.  Our general Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, has over 26 years experience in dealing with dental emergencies.  Our Calgary dentist office always tries to accommodate same day dental emergencies and, if necessary, Dr. Dirk Thompson will extend his office hours to accommodate your dental emergency and can also accommodate dental emergencies over the weekend and during holidays.  If you are not sure whether your dental concern is a dental emergency, do not hesitate to contact our Calgary dentist office to discuss your symptoms.  One of our helpful and friendly team members will be happy to assess whether you should be same on the same day.  Call us today, we’re here for you!

 

 

This blog post written by our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, D.D.S., is for informational purposes only.  It is not to be taken or used as a substitute for dental, medical or other professional advice, treatment or diagnosis.  Always ask your dentist, physician or other healthcare professional for advice before altering your diet or healthcare routine.  Individual patient needs and oral healthcare concerns vary so please consult your dentist for more information about your specific dental health requirements.

 

 Copyright 2021: Dirk A. Thompson Professional Corporation operating as Advance Your Health Dental.  Dr. Dirk A. Thompson, D.D.S., is a general dentist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.