Life can be unpredictable.
And, due to the nature of unpredictability, many people find themselves on the receiving end of a dental emergency when they least expect it. Typically, during a busy day at work or at home!
While waking up with a throbbing pain under one of your teeth is always a panic-inducing experience, remain as level-headed as possible. Even if you are nervous about visiting your dentist, it is important to realise that in cases of dental emergencies, the discomfort needs to be treated as soon as possible. If you have never had a dental emergency before (lucky!), type the phrase ‘dentist near me Coorparoo’ into your computer search engine and look in your local area for an emergency dentist.
As the name suggests, an emergency dentist handles situations that cannot be left until a general check-up. After you typed ‘dentist near Coorparoo’ into a search engine looking for a nearby emergency team, you may have noticed that this area of dentistry concentrates on things such as infections, lost fillings, swellings and impacted wisdom teeth – far from your general dentist!
So, what should you expect when you attend an emergency dental appointment?
Assess the area
The first thing to consider is that when you search for a dentist in a crisis it is unlikely that the emergency dentist will be your regular dentist.
Indeed, many dental surgeries offer slots each day dedicated to emergency treatments, and as it is important to get that problem sorted, you may not know the dentist who is treating you.
Once you are in the chair, the dentist will assess the area to diagnose the issue. Statistically, if you are in pain, it is likely that you have a cavity, a dental infection, a lost filling or an impacted tooth.
Clean it
Regardless of the cause, your emergency team will then proceed to clean the area thoroughly, to ensure that any lingering bacteria is removed. If you are in discomfort, they may offer you a numbing agent at this point if you find this process too painful.
Once cleaned, they will begin the next stage.
Treat the issue
Of course, you attended the emergency dentist to have the issue resolved, however, in this instance, your dentist is likely to offer a temporary fix, in order to relieve any of the pain you are in. Simply put, their treatment of the issue is unlikely to be long-term and will need a follow-up appointment with your regular dentist as soon as possible.
Prescribe medication (as required)
If you have had the misfortune to suffer a dental abscess, then your emergency dentist will probably prescribe pain relief and antibiotics. Remember, this is not a permanent fix!
Book follow-up
If your emergency appointment took place at your regular dental surgery, then your emergency dentist will be able to book you in for a follow-up appointment with your regular dentist. If not, it is your responsibility to make sure that you book this appointment to permanently resolve the emergency.
DISCLAIMER
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified practitioner.
