Author: Texas Dental Center

Unexpected dental issues can make their presence felt without warning to make you wonder how you can manage the problem. Earlier, dental emergencies were not given the importance they deserve but are getting common during the present day. There could be several reasons why you may need to contact the emergency dentist near you. Here are some situations that require help from an emergency dentist.

Accidents

Any accident involving impacts to the mouth calls for treatment from an emergency dentist. The impact could result in tooth loss or bleeding gums. Ignoring them can result in tragedy because a broken tooth can damage the gums from the inside as well as the nerves.

Partially Dislodged Tooth

You must contact the dentist in south-west Houston immediately if your tooth has dislodged partially. The tooth will not get back in place by itself, and help from a dentist will be needed to repair the tooth and make you feel better. Infections can occur if you leave the tooth to heal by itself, resulting in extractions.

Problems like swollen gums, tooth loss, bleeding, and fractures to the tooth need prompt treatment before they end up as a concern.

Benefits of Emergency Dentistry

Like many other facilities offering emergency treatments, emergency dentistry also has many benefits to offer. Here are the benefits that you can experience when you contact the emergency dentist in Houston, TX.

Walk-in Treatment

The most significant and appealing benefit of visiting this dentist is the flexibility to walk in for the treatment needed without an appointment. You rush to the emergency dentist to get the most appropriate treatment. The dentist provides the same level of efficiency that you expect during general dentistry treatment. The therapy provided is similar to that of the urgent dental care unit, but the emergency dentist only ensures he or she attends to you promptly upon arrival.

The emergency dentist in Houston, TX, is a cost-effective option to offer you relief from the pain instantly as the charges are not expensive. Many people avoid visiting an urgent care clinic, fearing the high charges despite dental insurance covering some of the costs. Therefore avoiding emergency dental problems should be AVOIDED and treatment obtained as soon as possible.

Many other benefits of emergency dentists also exist, but misconceptions also prevail. Here are some misconceptions in the minds of people who avoid visiting the emergency dentist inviting problems upon themselves.

Toothaches Are Not an Emergency

People do not have a proper understanding of toothaches or, for that matter, any dental emergency. They misconstrue dental pain without understanding all discomfort in the teeth, and gums need to be attended by a qualified dentist. Every toothache cannot be considered as an emergency until it aggravates to unbearable pain when an emergency dentist must be contacted.

Emergency Dentists Are Grotesque

Visiting an emergency dentist does not mean patients are contacting a grotesque individual. Emergency dentists are professionals that do not compromise the patient’s comfort. Before beginning the treatment, the dentist will comfort the patient and make him or her anxiety free. Emergency dentistry means prompt treatment that is not compromised in any way.

Dislodged Teeth Can Repair Themselves

For some odd reason, people believe that dislodged teeth can repair themselves and don’t need a visit to the emergency dentist. This is a misconception that can invite infections in the mouth and therefore require immediate treatment from an emergency dentist.

Time Will Not Make the Emergency Any Worse

Emergencies strike whenever they feel like it. In such conditions, patients must not wait for a general dentist to treat the issue. It would be best if patients rushed to the emergency dentist, especially if they have a knocked-out tooth. The affected tooth can be reinserted back into its socket if the emergency dentist is contacted within an hour.

Visiting an emergency dentist can help patients heal faster and do not mean they have to pay additional money for procedures also performed by General dentistry. The dentist in south-west Houston has a team of qualified professionals who can help patients encounter dental emergencies effectively. The sooner patients get to the emergency dentist, the better it will be for them to overcome the issue affecting them. The dentists ensure patients are comfortable before offering any treatment, making them believe emergency dentists are not the monsters they are made out to be.

Many people, both children, and adults visit hospital departments for dental emergencies. The problem is, some of the dental trauma are emergencies and others are not. Knowing the difference between urgent dental emergencies and non-urgent will not only save your teeth but time too.

Some dental accidents require same-day treatment and others can wait a few days. In this post, our dentists in Southwest Houston highlight the difference between the two and what to do.

What is Oral Emergency?

Any trauma or accidents that affect your teeth and gums, causing lacerations, bleeding, and loss of teeth is a dental emergency. Similar to medical emergencies, most of these dental accidents need urgent care.

Some of the reasons you can visit an emergency dentist in 77036 includes:

• Knocked-out teeth

The teeth can get knocked out partially or completely after an accident or fall. Regardless of the impact, dislodged teeth should be treated by the dentist. It is tempting to try pulling the teeth out but don’t. Only the dentist can decide if the teeth need an extraction or not.

• Abscessed teeth

An abscess can form on the gums or in between the teeth. The infection leads to the formation of pus that causes excruciating pain. The infection needs dental treatment and often the dentist prescribes antibiotics to get rid of it. It is paramount to have the abscess removed to stop the spread to the other tissues. If the infection advances, it can weaken the teeth or cause widespread inflammation.

• Severe toothache

Most dental accidents cause some degree of pain. However, it is the intensity of the pain that matters. If you have severe pain when you bite something, your teeth could be cracked. Tooth pain can also be caused by decay and gum infection. Regardless of the cause, if you have severe toothache visit our dentist immediately, especially if you have a fever or headache.

• Soft tissue injuries

The soft tissues in the cheeks, lips, palate, and tongue can get injured and lead to bleeding. Mouth lacerations can also cause infections if left untreated.

What to Do After a Dental Emergency Occurs

How you handle the teeth and gums after a dental accident will determine the treatment time. First aid is critical after dental trauma and here are few tips:

• Rinse the mouth with mildly warm salt water to remove the debris, leftover teeth pieces, and to draw the pus out if you have an abscess.
• Pick the tooth by the crown (do not touch the root) and try to push it back to the socket. Keep the teeth moist all the time to prevent it from dying. You can use a milk solution if the tooth is completely dislodged.
• Use cold compression to ease swelling. Apply the ice pack on the cheek of the affected area, but not on direct skin.
• Place a gauze pad on the affected area to control bleeding. Alternatively, you can use a teabag.
• In the event your teeth are knocked out, contact the dentist within the first hour after an accident occurs. It is easy for the dentist to save the teeth and replant them if treatment is started early.

What Are the Non-Urgent Oral Emergencies?

Non-urgent oral accidents are emergencies that don’t cause severe pain, bleeding, or discomfort. The emergencies can wait for a few days for treatment. Some of them include:

• Loss of dental restorations such as dental crowns and fillings. When your dental crowns, bridges, or bonding chip you and use temporary crowns (bought in a drug store) as you wait to visit the dentist.
• Food stuck in the teeth can be handled at home. Flossing and rinsing the mouth can get rid of the stuck food particles. Don’t use a pin or needle to remove the food as it may bruise the gums.
• Small cracks and chips on the teeth
• Dull toothache

Take Action!

Quick-acting after an emergency occurs can save your teeth from extractions and preserve your health. If you are experiencing pain and discomfort, visit Texas Dental Center for treatment.

Besides improving your appearance, a whiter smile can really boost your confidence and self-esteem. Teeth whitening in Houston, TX, is considered to be an effective way of brightening the shade of your teeth without interfering with the tooth’s enamel. Very few people get to enjoy having brilliant-white teeth. Our lifestyle habits and the foods we eat overtime stain the surface of the teeth, leading to discoloration. Some illnesses can also discolor our teeth, with the severity of staining varying from person to person.

If your teeth have discolored to the point that it bothers you, you might have considered teeth whitening treatments. Depending on the information you’ve heard about it, you could be all for it, confused about it or totally against it. To help you get a better understanding of the procedure, we debunk common myths about teeth h whitening you might have heard about.

Teeth Whitening Myths

• Teeth Whitening Treatments Last Forever

The color change as a result of whitening is permanent. However, aging is a continuous process and you still continue to be exposed to factors contributing discoloration, thus touch-ups are necessary to keep your smile bright.

• Over-The-Counter Treatments Are the Same as Dental Office Treatments

This is unfortunately not true. Dentists in Southwest Houston use products that will penetrate the layers of the teeth and address the underlying cause of staining. Additionally, they have the right skills to administer the treatment and have the luxury to customize it for added benefits. This is unlike store-bough treatments that tend to be general and have a low concentration of the whitening ingredient.

• It Guarantees You the Whitest Smile

Not true. The end results usually vary from patient to patient, depending on the nature of the stain, thickness of the enamel, tooth structure and the patient’s age. You may not always get the whitest smile but you will have teeth that are several shades brighter.

• Teeth Become Weak and Sensitive After Whitening

Like every other dental procedure, there are risks associated with whitening such as sensitivity, gum irritation and even nerve damage. However, if the procedure is properly done, the risk of these side effects is minimized. Consider working with a professional health provider to avoid sensitivity issues. If you choose to use at-home whitening kits, ensure the product meets safety ad quality standards and always follow the instructions given.

• It Is Too Expensive

You don not need to spend a fortune to get a whiter smile. It all depends with the options you choose. Over the counter kits are usually very affordable and even professional treatments come in different varieties to suit different budgets.

• Anyone Can Do It

It would be right to say that everyone wishes to have a snow-white smile but the reality is that not everyone can benefit from teeth whitening treatments. If you have teeth stained gray or blue maybe due to medications or trauma, whitening might not be effective. Brown teeth also don’t completely whiten. Children also do nt qualify for whitening procedures unless under very special conditions.

• Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Can Whiten Your Teeth

There is no proof at all to suggest that baking soda can actually brighten your teeth. if anything, using baking soda compromises your oral health as it interferes with the ratio of good bacteria to bad in the mouth.

Hydrogen peroxide on the other hand is the active ingredient in most teeth whitening products which is why some people might consider using it as a whitening agent. However, you need to know that it is usually used in varying concentrations. Products with higher concentration need to remain on the teeth for a shorter time to be effective while low-concentration products might need to stay longer to offer any results.

If hydrogen peroxide is used wrongly, you risk damaging your teeth’s enamel and irritating your gums. It is therefore advisable to work with a dentist to ensure you get the right concentration of peroxide to match your needs.

• Crowns and Veneers Can Be Whitened Too

You will not be able to undergo teeth whitening in Houston, for your veneers or porcelain. These dental appliances are usually made from porcelain which does not respond to whitening agents. So, incase they are stained the only option is to replace them with new ones.