When to Seek Help from an Albuquerque Emergency Dentist

Emergency Sign Outside of Building

Many types of dental problems can be painful, embarrassing, or downright annoying, but not all of them are considered emergencies. Do you know what type of injury to your tooth or gum requires emergency dental care? Avoid making unnecessary emergency trips to your Albuquerque dentist and prevent tooth loss by following these tips.

Oral Injuries and Immediate Treatment

  • Cracked or Broken Teeth

If you bite down on a hard piece of food, fall, or have an accident, you may injure your tooth. It may chip or fracture. It depends on where the tooth is located and how severe the injury actually is as to whether or not you need to call your family dentistry immediately. If it isn’t severe, and you can deal with the pain until normal business hours or a planned dental appointment, you may be able to wait. If, however, the pain is too much to tolerate due to a severe crack, nerve damage, or a large piece of your tooth is gone, you will need to seek help immediately.

  • Tooth Knocked Out

In most cases, a tooth that is knocked out will need to be addressed by a general dentistry practice as soon as possible. To help protect the tooth, attempt to put it back in the socket while you wait to see an emergency dentist. Often the tooth will easily go back in when you bite down on a wet tea bag or moistened gauze. If you can’t get it back in, rinse off the tooth and place it in a container of saliva or milk until you reach the dentist.

  • Extreme Pain

Broken teeth, extreme gum bleeding, or abscesses can cause extreme pain that you may not be able to handle as you wait for an appointment. If you’re unable to get a quick dental appointment or it is after normal business hours, getting help from an emergency dentist is the answer.

Do you know when to seek emergency dental treatment? If you’re in a lot of pain, have a tooth that has been knocked out or broken, or have a chipped tooth that has resulted in nerve damage, consult our general dentistry practice immediately for help. At LoPour & Associates DDS, we offer emergency dental services, so being in extreme pain for long periods of time is a thing in the past!