Skip to content Skip to footer

What is Considered a Dental Emergency?

What is Considered a Dental Emergency?

It can be troubling to experience some sort of dental problem and not know whether it is serious enough to warrant an emergency visit. After all, substantial pain can make you wish for immediate relief, and anything where damage has been done seems like it must qualify. At our Ballston Spa, NY, Ballston Dental and our entire staff are ready to help with any sort of dental emergency and provide the following information to help you understand what is considered a dental emergency.

Firstly, we consider anything that is causing serious pain to be an emergency, but especially if you have a fever or swelling in the mouth or the face. This could be an abscess or serious infection that must be dealt with as soon as possible.

Generally, we feel that a dental emergency would include, but not be limited to:

  • A tooth that was knocked out accidentally
  • A tooth that was partially knocked out accidentally
  • A tooth that has been chipped or broken
  • The loss of a filling
  • The loss of a crown
  • Injury or infection in the soft tissue areas of the mouth (the roof of the mouth, the tongue or the lining of the cheek)
  • Orthodontic equipment that has been damaged or broken

If you have any sort of dental emergency (even if it is not in the list) be sure to contact our office immediately. If we are unavailable at the moment you called, use some of these tips to ensure the best outcome of your dental emergency:

  • If you have lost a tooth, try to find it. Gently rinse it free of debris but do not scrub it. If you can replace it in the gum properly, do so. If not, keep it in a glass of milk until you get to the office.
  • If you have bleeding and swelling. Gently rinse it with water, and use a cold compress to help reduce swelling. If the soft tissue damage is inside of the mouth, use a salt-water rinse to cleanse the mouth and apply a cold compress to the face.
  • If it is a pain-related emergency, use over the counter pain relievers until you can reach the office, and also use compresses to help with swelling and discomfort.

Contact Us

If you have a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Ballston Spa, NY office at 518-885-8321. You can also use our online contact form and one of our staff will get back to you promptly.