Emergency Dentistry
Why do dental emergencies seem to happen at the least convenient times? A painful toothache, swelling and the stress that accompanies an unexpected oral health problem can interrupt a person's sleep, work and otherwise busy schedules.
At GoldCity Dental Centre, we provide effective, gentle and solution-oriented emergency dental care. We strive to treat painful dental emergencies on the same day and complete treatment in a single visit. Many of our patients travel far to reach us and need to make the most of their dental visits.
When Is Toothache a Dental Emergency?
Tooth pain can be tricky to nail down, and many people in Charter Towers may be unsure when a toothache becomes urgent. In short, dental pain should always be treated as urgent. Our team advocates this approach because oral health problems often go undetected until quite advanced. For example, decay and gum disease often have only mild symptoms – or none – when they first develop.
But because most dental conditions are progressive, failing to treat them can cause damage that impacts nerve fibres deep within your tooth. The best way to avoid dental emergencies is to maintain your active maintenance programme as your Charters Towers dentist recommends. Regular dental exams, cleans, and diagnostic x-rays help our professional team identify and treat dental issues in their earliest stages.
Early diagnosis is almost always less costly and less complex. After all, the saying 'an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure' could not be more appropriate when considering your oral health.
Common Dental Emergencies We Treat
Our team is committed to your dental welfare, so we will arrange an appointment for any patient who notices a sudden change in their oral health. Some common reasons patients call our dental surgery include:
Inflammation of the gums, face or jaw- Cracked, broken or fractured teeth
- Painful teeth or gums
- Tooth infection
- A broken tooth or dental crown, or lost fillings
- Dropped or cracked dentures
- Bleeding gums
- Trauma or a knocked-out tooth
It is important to remember that dental pain can come and go, but the condition rarely heals on its own. Dental emergencies require treatment to resolve the underlying condition.
What Steps to Take in a Dental Emergency
During emergencies often present as unexpected and traumatic, you can lessen those impacts by being prepared. If you plan in advance, you can respond more effectively when presented with a potential dental emergency. Here is a three-point checklist for quick reference.
In any emergency, you should:
- Remain calm and try to stabilise the situation. Work first to stop any bleeding and address immediate needs. Persistent blood flow and soft tissue injury may require a visit to the hospital emergency room first.
- Assess the situation. Please note what happened, and record symptoms, their locations, and their severity.
- Call our dental clinic with that information and speak to a team member. Our expertise helps us identify the problem and recommend a course of action, including a same-day emergency dental exam where possible.
What to Do for a Knocked-Out Tooth
Quick action is essential when the dental emergency is a completely knocked-out tooth that is still in one piece. Our emergency dentists can save your tooth if we see you quickly. We recommend that you follow these instructions carefully:
- Never touch the tooth root; only pick it up by the crown
- Rinse off debris gently with warm water, don't scrub the tooth
- If possible, place the tooth back in its socket
- If you can't replace the tooth in its socket, keep it in your mouth between your cheek and gums or in a container of milk or saliva, no tap water
- Call us immediately
What Is an Emergency Dental Exam?
Unlike a check-up or complete dental exam, an emergency exam focuses on your immediate needs by diagnosing and treating pain-causing problems.
Palliative dentistry strives to stabilise the condition and restore patient comfort. Then we can focus on performing the needed treatments, returning your standard functionality and chewing ability. In some cases where we discover an active inner tooth infection, root canal therapy can save the tooth and resolve the problem.
We recommend contacting GoldCity Dental Centre as soon as you observe something is wrong with your teeth or gums. By giving us plenty of notice, we can reserve time in our schedule to look after you and give you the attention and care you deserve.
Don't Let a Toothache Keep You Awake at Night
Our caring and professional dental team are here for you when you need us most. We welcome new patients on an emergency basis as well.
Call us on (07) 4787 1269 to arrange an urgent dental appointment.
