Most people have been in the unfortunate position of needing to visit the emergency dentist in Mackay, either because they are experiencing unbearable pain in their mouths that can signal a serious issue that needs to be immediately resolved or they have had an accident and chipped or broken a tooth.
It is immensely important that patients act quickly after an injury in order to reduce healing time and minimise the risk of infection.
It is also known that leaving a missing tooth for extended periods of time can detrimentally affect a person’s health as well as change the structure of their face over time as the jawbone begin to recede in the affected area.
Poor oral health can lead to other issues such as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. A missing tooth can contribute to poor oral health as when the jawbone reacts and recedes, it can weaken the surrounding teeth.
There is also a higher likelihood of plaque build up in surrounding teeth and the gums are more susceptible to infection as they are constantly exposed and can be damaged by hard or sharp hard food such as crisps.
What happens when somebody visits the emergency dentist?
There are some steps that patients will encounter when visiting an emergency dentist. It is important to know what to expect and it may be a little different that regular visits to the dentist where work is discussed and arranged prior to the day of treatment.
Pain relief can be administered in order to calm and settle the patient so that an examination can take place. This will be with a local anaesthetic and will numb the entire region for the comfort of those involved.
Firstly, a thorough examination will take place of the affected area. Dental x-rays may be needed in order for the emergency dentist to fully understand the extent of the damage. There may be several teeth injured in an accident although only one tooth is showing signs of damage.
It is necessary to clean and sterilize the affected area if there has been an accident of some kind that has brought a patient to the emergency dentist, so that there is a reduced risk of infection. This is a major reason why it is so important for a person to visit the dentist as soon as they are able after an accident.
In order to limit pain, the damaged teeth will either be temporarily fixed until an appointment can be made to complete the procedure, or a permanent solution can be agreed upon immediately. It depends on each individual case and the time it takes to complete the necessary procedures.
In some extreme cases, extraction is the best method and the emergency dentist will be able to discuss options for replacing the tooth at a later stage.
In order to avoid further complications in the future, appropriate care needs to be administered so that healing times are minimal. Any dental emergency from toothaches to chipped teeth, avulsed tooth and facial swelling can be seen by a friendly and helpful emergency dentist.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
