What is a dental emergency?

You’d be surprised how many people don’t know the answer to the question, ‘What is a dental emergency?’. After all, it isn’t something you hear much about. If you are ever in any doubt as to whether you are having a dental emergency, it is always best to call the emergency dentist in Mackay.

When you call us at Walkerston Dental in Walkerston, we’ll ask you a few questions to find out whether or not you need to be seen by our emergency dentist in Mackay. It may be that we can advise you on what to do over the phone and schedule you in for a regular dental appointment. But if you do need to see the emergency dentist in Mackay, rest assured that we will try to fit you in on the same day you call us.

So, back to the question we started with. What is a dental emergency? There are lots of different scenarios that count as dental emergencies. Here are a few of the most common:

Dental pain

Toothache can quite quickly go from a nagging ache to severe pain. It is often a sign of underlying dental disease, such as tooth decay or an infection of the pulp that resides beneath the enamel of your teeth. While you may be able to make do with over-the-counter painkillers for a while, this won’t resolve the cause of your toothache and delaying treatment gives the underlying problem the chance to get worse. So, if you are experiencing severe toothache, it is a dental emergency.

Dental injuries

You could be the most cautious person in the world but accidents still happen. Partially or fully knocked out teeth, as well as chipped, cracked or broken teeth all constitute dental emergencies. They may be accompanied by bleeding and swelling too.

Broken dental appliances

Broken dental appliances don’t always require same-day emergency care, but you’ll probably need to come in sooner than your next scheduled appointment. So, for broken braces, dental implants, crowns, dentures or bridges, it is worth giving us a call so we can determine how soon we need to see you.