If you are wondering when you will need an emergency dental treatment, this guide can help. Here is everything to know about emergency dentistry.

What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

It's worth familiarizing yourself with oral health problems that need treatment right away. By knowing what counts as a dental emergency, you can avoid making mountains out of molehills.

However, anyone who is unsure whether something is an emergency or not should consult with their dentist after scheduling a dental appointment. When it comes to oral health, it's always better to be safe rather than sorry.

One of the most obvious signs of an emergency involves severe or constant pain. Whether sharp or pulsating, a high degree of pain often points to an infection. Left untreated, the infection can spread and become deadly.

Sometimes there's only pain if you're eating or moving your jaw in a specific way. In any case, it's an emergency if you find it difficult or nearly impossible to eat anything.

Yet another sign of an emergency is excessive or constant bleeding. While a small bit of blood every now and then due to flossing is generally normal, you should visit the doctor right away if there's much more than that.

Of course, not every emergency has to do with life or death. Sometimes there are aesthetic emergencies that require immediate attention. For instance, you wouldn't want to attend a wedding or give an important business presentation with a chipped or missing front tooth.



A knocked-out tooth can end up being more than an aesthetic issue as well. It's crucial to avoid touching the root surface where the tooth came from because germs could cause an infection. To save the tooth, you'll need to avoid drying it out so sometimes it's best to keep it between your cheek and other teeth.

How Are Emergency Issues Treated?

There is a wide range of emergency dentistry procedures that depend on the specific problem. For instance, an infection may require an antibiotic prescription. It might also be necessary to perform a root canal or to extract a tooth altogether.

You'll be glad to know that you can have a dentist replace a missing tooth with an artificial yet realistic one. Sometimes some or most of the tooth is preservable and will only need a filling. In an aesthetic emergency, chipped teeth can look as good as new with veneers.

The veneers can match your natural teeth color. The one downside is that veneers can stain if you smoke or drink a significant amount of wine.

It's also important to take care of the veneers by avoiding hard food and nail-biting. The reason for this is that these and other behaviors could result in chips and cracks. The last thing you'd want is broken and fractured teeth all over again, so it's worth being cautious.

Some procedures involve local anesthesia, but in some cases, a doctor may have to put you under. Whether or not you're a candidate for this will depend on your allergies and general medical history.



Keep in mind that not all dental practices are equipped to handle oral emergencies. This is why you should check with your dentist ahead of time so that you have a place to go and aren't scrambling for another option.

Where Can I Find a Reliable Emergency Dentist?

No matter what different dental emergencies you have, it's important to find a dentist who you can trust to the fullest. By doing research ahead of time, you'll know exactly who to call in the event of an emergency. One way you can home in on a proper dental practice is by looking up online reviews.

Previous customers can give you an overview of the quality of the work, customer service, whether or not they're punctual, and the fairness of the prices.

Since reviews are not always accurate, it's also a good idea to look up the professional backgrounds of dentists at a given practice.

In the "About" section of the business website, you should have no trouble finding this information. From experience to where they were trained and educated, these are the differences that can make all the difference in the world. If you're serious about improving dental health, you should schedule a consultation with your top picks.



This can give you the clearest idea of whether or not those dentists and their team members are reliable enough to handle a dental emergency. Be sure to ask if they offer a 24/7 service or if you'd have to wait a couple of days or longer after making the call.

Are You Ready to Receive Emergency Dentistry?

Now that you've learned what you need to know about emergency dentistry, you can make sure to get the necessary oral care. That way, you'll rest easy knowing that your oral health is back to where it should be. Don't forget to let your loved ones know how they can take care of their teeth as well.

If you need a dentist in Centreville, VA, look no further than Smile On Dentistry. Aside from emergency treatment, we also offer family dentistry, cosmetic services, Invisalign, and more.



Feel free to reach out with questions or book an appointment online now.