Emergencies can happen even with good dental care. They also vary in severity, with some needing more immediate care. Sometimes, patients hesitate to contact their dentist during dental emergencies and question whether it qualifies as an emergency and if their insurance will cover the treatment.

If you are in intense pain, have a fever, or are dealing with uncontrolled swelling or bleeding, you should contact your dentist right away. Some dental issues can pose serious risks. So, even if a problem seems less urgent, delaying treatment can lead to bigger issues later.

At Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry, we can help with your pain and arrange any necessary follow-up care. If you have a dental emergency, call our clinic to speak with one of our dentists.

Understanding Dental Emergencies

The American Dental Association states that dental emergencies include any dental issues that might be life-threatening and need immediate attention to stop bleeding and reduce severe pain or infection.

Symptoms of life-threatening dental emergencies may include:

  • Severe bleeding—this can result from injury, accidents, health issues, or other reasons.

  • Infections in soft tissues—these cause swelling inside or outside the mouth, which could block your airway. Note that tooth infections can spread to soft tissues, leading to swelling even without pain.

  • Facial bone trauma

Some dental emergencies may not be life-threatening but still need emergency care. These include:

  • Intense tooth pain from decay or a dying nerve

  • Pain from wisdom teeth

  • Infections or abscesses causing pain and swelling

  • Pain after tooth removal or dry sockets

  • Chipped, broken teeth or lost fillings causing pain or injury to teeth and soft tissues

  • Objects stuck in the gums or between teeth lead to pain or swelling

  • Loose braces or dental devices that irritate the cheeks or gums

  • Injuries that loosen or displace teeth

Causes of Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies often arise from tooth decay, gum disease, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and old fillings. However, everyday activities can also lead to unexpected dental emergencies. Some of the common causes include:

  • Playing contact sports

  • Car crashes

  • Work-related injuries

  • Slips and falls

  • Chewing ice, cutting tape, opening bottles, or biting on your nails

  • Eating hard foods

  • Jaw joint locking or pain

If dental emergencies are not treated quickly, they can cause lasting damage to your teeth and may require costly treatments.

How To Address Dental Emergencies

Below are ways to handle dental emergencies:

  1. Knocked-Out Teeth/Avulsed Teeth

A knocked-out tooth is a common dental emergency. Studies show that adults and children knock out over 5 million teeth yearly. Although losing a permanent tooth is a serious issue, taking quick action can help fix the problem.

Knocked-out teeth can damage the surrounding tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. Since a dentist cannot repair damaged nerves and blood vessels, root canal treatment will be necessary for your knocked-out tooth. If the dentist repositions your tooth correctly, the root will reattach to the jawbone.

What to Do If Your Teeth Have Knocked Out Teeth

Children’s teeth are generally easier to save compared to adults. However, adults can also successfully preserve their teeth. To increase the odds of saving a tooth, you should handle it gently. Always hold the affected teeth by the dental crown and avoid touching the roots, as they are delicate and can easily damage them. If the teeth are dirty, rinse them with milk or clean water; avoid using soap or chemicals. Do not scrub, rub, wrap, or dry the tooth with tissue or cloth.

If possible, try to place the knocked-out teeth back in its socket. Apply gentle pressure on the affected tooth with your finger to check if it is secure. Then, lightly bite down to keep it in place. Do not reposition a child’s milk tooth to protect the permanent tooth growing underneath. If you cannot move the affected teeth, keep them moist by placing them in a glass of milk or holding them inside your mouth near the cheek.

You could also use emergency tooth replacement kits. If a child loses a tooth, tell them not to put it in the mouth, as they could swallow it. Also, avoid using tap water to keep the knocked-out teeth, as the teeth cells on the root cannot survive in it for long.

Use a gauze or sterile cloth to stop bleeding. If you notice any swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. You can also allow your child to suck on an ice pop if they have lost a tooth. You should also visit an emergency dentist within 30 minutes of losing a tooth. Although saving a knocked-out tooth for an hour is possible, it will help to visit a dentist as soon as possible. If a person has a knocked-out tooth and is severely injured or unconscious, call the police immediately.

How a Dentist Can Help With Knocked-Out Tooth

If a tooth shifts its position due to the knockout, your dentist will examine it using an X-ray. Then, they will use a splint to temporarily secure the affected teeth to the adjacent teeth, helping to keep them in place.

If you place the knocked-out teeth in milk, the dentist will secure them to nearby teeth with a splint for 2 to 8 weeks. Depending on when the tooth was outside the mouth, they may perform root canal treatment immediately or wait.

When the bone tissues around the tooth are still healthy, your tooth can reattach to the jawbone in 3 to 4 weeks. It may take 6 to 8 weeks to secure if you have a damaged tooth. Your dentist can arrange a follow-up appointment in 3 to 6 months.

After that, you should return for your annual checkup unless you suffer an oral infection. Your dentist can also check on the tooth for the next 2 years to ensure it reattaches successfully.

  1. Loose Teeth

A loose tooth can be concerning if it occurs in adulthood. Permanent teeth should last for a long time. Multiple factors can cause teeth to become loose. These include the following:

  1. Grinding

If your teeth are loose because of grinding, schedule a dentist visit as soon as possible. Ignoring the issue can result in more serious problems. Your dental professional will likely recommend a mouth guard to protect your teeth from clenching or grinding against one another.

  1. Tooth Injury

Although healthy gums and teeth are resilient, they can loosen from a hit to the face during sports or a car accident. Stress or anger can also lead to teeth clenching and grinding, which may chip teeth and cause jaw pain. You might fail to notice the damage to your teeth until you feel pain. Your dentist can spot these problems before they result in serious issues. If you suspect an injury damaged your tooth, you should see a dentist immediately.

  1. Pregnancy

During pregnancy, certain hormones, like progesterone and estrogen, increase. These hormones affect the gums and surrounding tissues, which causes some teeth to become loose. If this happens, you should not worry; it usually improves after pregnancy. However, you should visit a dentist to check for other issues like gum disease if you feel pain or have a loose tooth.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association show that X-rays, dental checkups, and cleanings are safe for pregnant women.

  1. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and easy to fracture. It usually affects the spine, wrists, and hips, but it could also affect the bones that hold your teeth. If your jawbone loses density, it can lead to loose teeth or even tooth loss.

  1. Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease)

Gum disease is a major cause of loose permanent teeth. It begins with gingivitis, an infection that leads to bleeding, tenderness, or redness in the gums. Treating gum disease quickly helps to prevent the condition from worsening into periodontitis.

Periodontitis occurs due to plaque buildup on teeth and along the gums. If not cleaned, plaque hardens into tartar, harming the gums. This may cause bleeding when brushing and lead to gum recession, creating pockets and gaps that trap oral bacteria and worsen your condition.

Treating Loose Teeth to Prevent Dental Emergencies

There are ways available to address loose teeth, such as:

  • Using a retainer or bite guard to help reduce tooth grinding

  • Rinsing with mouthwash and using medications to aid in healing infected teeth and gums and fighting bacteria in your mouth

  • Root planing and scaling are used to thoroughly clean teeth and reverse and treat periodontal disease.

  • Finding the proper treatment for diabetes to help maintain dental health

  • Bone grafts help to rebuild bone lost from gum disease

  • Sometimes, surgery is necessary to treat bones and gum tissues damaged by gum disease

Your dentist can restore your natural smile with dental implants or bridges if a loose tooth falls out. Dental implants are artificial teeth with roots attached to the jawbone. Dental bridges are prosthetic teeth that fill the missing teeth’ spaces with crowns on the teeth next to them.

Reducing the Risk of Loose Teeth At Home

Although you may be unable to avoid loose teeth, there are ways to lessen the risk. You can consider these tips for maintaining healthy teeth and gums:

  • Clean your teeth two times each day

  • Floss teeth daily

  • Avoid smoking

  • Use a mouthguard that fits well when you play sports, grind, or clench your teeth.

  • Control your blood sugar since it increases the chance of gum disease.

  • Consult your dentist about taking calcium supplements and vitamin D to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

3. Chipped, Cracked, or Fractured Teeth

Tooth enamel is strong, but if you damage it, it could lead to a dental emergency. The enamel can chip, break, or crack if you:

  • Have cavities that make your tooth weaker.

  • Fall and hit the face.

  • Bite something hard.

  • Sustain injuries in the mouth or face.

Steps To Take If You Suffer A Cracked, Fractured or Chipped Tooth

If you have fractured, cracked, or broken your tooth, visit a dentist immediately. Ignoring broken teeth can lead to infections that may worsen the damage.

While waiting for your dental appointment, you should consider the following:

  • Rinse the mouth using warm, salty water.

  • Apply a cold pack to the lips and cheeks to reduce pain and swelling.

  • Apply a tea bag or gauze to the bleeding spots to stop it from bleeding.

  • Use an over-the-counter painkiller to help with the pain.

  • Cover the cracked or fractured teeth with dental cement or sugar-free gum to prevent cuts in the mouth.

How a Dentist Can Help With Fractured, Chipped or Cracked Teeth

Different tooth fractures need different forms of care. For example, small cracks or surface lines usually do not require treatment. However, you should visit a dental professional to smooth any rough edges and give it a light polish.

Dentists can treat cracked teeth using filling materials and a dental crown to avoid further issues. Your dentist can perform a root canal if you have a damaged pulp. Minor chips usually do not need any treatment. The dentist can polish the spot or use a dental filling to enhance the teeth’ appearance.

When the teeth cusps fracture, your dentist can fix and restore its shape. Most of the time, you will need an on-lay or dental crown. If the crack is deep enough to expose the dental pulp, you will require a root canal and a dental crown to help you chew and eat well. Such cracks can be quite painful and could result in bleeding.

Teeth that have split down the middle will need root canal therapy. Your dentist can remove any dental roots they cannot save and install a dental crown on the affected tooth. The dentist removes the tooth if they cannot save any roots.

At times, teeth may crack, starting from the roots. Such cracks can lead to severe pain because of the infected or swollen pulp. In most cases, the dentist will need to remove the tooth. Untreated oral decay can also cause teeth to fall apart from within. The dentist will review the cavities and propose the proper treatment. If tooth decay spreads to the jawbone, tooth extraction may be necessary.

4. Dental Abscess

An oral abscess is a pus buildup in a gum or tooth due to bacterial activity. If you have this condition, you may experience mild to severe tooth pain that can extend to the ears or neck.

Always consider a dental abscess a dental emergency. If not treated, it can grow into a severe issue. There are 3 main kinds of dental abscesses:

  1. A periapical abscess at the root of the tooth

  2. A periodontal dental abscess near the gum can spread to surrounding tissues and jawbone

  3. A gingival abscess that forms on the gum line.

The main symptom of an oral abscess is severe pain in the gums or around the affected teeth. The pain often starts suddenly and becomes worse as time goes on. Other typical signs of abscessed teeth include the following:

  • Excruciating pain that spreads to the neck or ears

  • Red swollen gums

  • Pain when chewing or biting

  • Facial redness and swelling

  • Increased pain when lying down

  • Awful taste in the mouth

  • Discolored or loose teeth

  • Tender or swollen lymph nodes under the jaws or in the neck

  • Sensitive teeth

  • Unpleasant breath

  • Experiencing fever

If an abscess bursts, you could notice an unpleasant taste in the oral cavity as the pus flows out. Also, the excruciating pain will fade away quickly. However, you should see a dentist even after the dental abscess ruptures to stop the infections from spreading. If not treated, an abscess can spread to different body parts, like your head, neck, or brain. In rare situations, it can lead to sepsis, which is very serious.

If you have any of the following symptoms with your dental abscess, you should go to the ER right away:

  • Swelling in your face

  • Rapid heartbeat

  • High fever

  • Trouble swallowing

  • Confusion

If you are unable to reach a dentist immediately, you can consider over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medications to help with your pain. Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water may also provide relief. Your dentist can work on reducing the pain and treating the infection. They could take an X-ray scan to check if the infections have spread based on your symptoms. The treatment option will vary depending on how severe your dental abscess is.

The typical options for treatment include:

  • Root canal therapy—Your dentist may drill into the teeth to drain the pus and extract the affected dental pulp. The dentist would then fill the root and pulp chamber. You could also need to schedule another visit for a crown.

  • Drain the dental abscess—The dentist will make a small incision to drain the pus and clean the surgical site with a saline solution.

  • Using antibiotics

  • Tooth extraction—If your dentist cannot save your tooth due to damage, the dentist will extract it first and then drain the abscess

  • Extracting the foreign objects

Find a Los Angeles Emergency Dental Clinic Near Me

A dental emergency can occur suddenly and without notice. Contact a dentist immediately if you have symptoms that point to a dental emergency. We at Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry are ready to support you. For further clarification about your condition, reach out to us at 310-361-2080. Our dentists will promptly respond to your inquiries and arrange an appointment.