A dental emergency refers to situations in which dental care is urgently required. Accidents happen and if you’re in need of urgent dental care, we can help. If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, it’s important that you don’t delay when it comes to seeking professional help — early treatment often goes a long way in resolving issues before they become more complicated over time. Read on to find out what constitutes a dental emergency and how we can help if you are ever in an emergency situation that affects your oral health… When is a toothache an emergency? If you are suffering from toothache, you might experience pain and swelling, as well as fever. Often caused by untreated tooth decay, severe toothache can be a sign of an infection or dental abscess. Toothache is also quite often caused by an impacted wisdom tooth. If you notice swelling in your jaw or face, it could be a sign that an infection is spreading and you should treat this as a dental emergency. Other signs that your toothache is an emergency include chest pain, shortness of breath and light-headedness. Any pain that cannot be alleviated with simple pain medications should also be considered a dental emergency. What is the most common dental emergency? Tooth loss is a very common consequence of a dental emergency and can occur as a result of a hard knock or fall, a car accident or sports injury. If your tooth is knocked out, we recommend that you try and get to your dentist as soon as possible. Ideally, you should see your dentist within half an hour as this will greatly increase the chances that your tooth can be reinserted and saved. If your tooth comes out completely, pick up your tooth by the crown without touching the roots and gently rinse it with milk or water. Place it inside your cheek if you can, or in a container with milk whilst on your way to the dentist. What is an impacted tooth? An impacted tooth is a tooth that has not broken through the gum properly. Sometimes, a tooth may be partially impacted, in which case it has started to break through the tissue. An impacted tooth can cause the gums to become swollen and bleeding, and can also lead to pain when chewing and biting. Other possible symptoms of an impacted tooth include bad breath and difficulty when opening the mouth. If you suspect that you have an impacted tooth, it’s a good idea to see your dentist as soon as possible. Leaving an impacted tooth untreated can put you at risk of developing a number of dental issues, including cysts and infection. If your impacted tooth is causing considerable pain and other complications, your dentist may recommend a surgical extraction. How can we help? If you have a dental emergency, it is important that you seek professional help as soon as possible. At Hyde Park Dental, we offer same-day appointments so get in touch if you need urgent care. Please note that emergency treatment is by appointment only, so please do be sure to call us to secure an appointment — in an emergency situation, you can call us on 02 9267 9526. To find out more about our dental emergency services, please have a look here. For a full list of the treatments that we offer at Hyde Park Dental, please have a look here. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.