Residents of the Calgary, AB region are checking out when emergency dental service may be necessary

We all face accidents regularly and some of these may lead to dental emergencies. Dr. Palka Sawhney Sharma is available to assist you in these emergencies. Dr. Palka Sawhney Sharma and her team are here to offer you guidance and emergency dental services when you need it.

It’s important to recognize what kind of injuries call for emergency dentistry. Knowing this can be a deciding factor in saving your tooth. It is not only important that you are able to identify a dental emergency, but that you know what you can do until Dr. Palka Sawhney Sharma or one of her team can treat the issue. Here are some obvious common dental emergencies as well as some useful tips:

• Tongue or lip that has been bitten – you can rinse the affected area gently with water and then apply a cold compress.
• Cracked tooth – immediately rinse your mouth with warm water to clean and then place a cold compress on your face to prevent/reduce swelling
• Toothache – rinse with warm water to clean. Ensure no food is stuck between the affected teeth by gently flossing. It is advised to not use aspirin on the aching tooth or gums.
• Object stuck in the mouth – try to remove by flossing. Do not use sharp or pointed instruments.
• Knocked-out permanent or adult tooth – keep the tooth moist. If possible, try to place the tooth back into place without touching the root. If not possible, you can also place the tooth in milk, or an ADA approved tooth preservation product.

There may be a time where the problem won’t be so immediately obvious as a chipped or broken tooth. You may find yourself facing severe tooth pain with no clear answer as to why. One possible reason for this could be a tooth abscess, which is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection. An abscess can occur in different areas of the tooth.

• A periapical abscess occurs at the tip of the root.
• A periodontal abscess occurs in the tissue of the gum. It appears as a small red ball pushing out of the swollen gum.

A periapical abscess will usually occur due to an untreated dental cavity, an injury or prior dental work. It can be treated by draining the pus from the pocket and getting rid of the infection. While not a guarantee, your tooth might be saved with a root canal once the abscess has been drained and disinfected, but in some cases, the only option may be to pull the tooth.

A periodontal abscess may occur when serious gum disease goes untreated and the gums begin to pull away from the tooth. This leaves a pocket between the tooth and gum where bacteria can grow and cause an infection. If the pocket becomes blocked by excess tartar or if food gets stuck in the pocket, pus can begin to form in the pocket, become trapped, and cause an abscess. You may develop a toothache in surrounding teeth and, in some cases, develop a fever from the infection. This infection could spread to another part of your body. A periodontal abscess can normally be treated by antibiotics, but the abscess may need to be cut open, so the infection can drain. In some cases, oral surgery may also be needed.

Whatever the emergency may be, Dr. Palka Sawhney Sharma is available to treat your dental emergency call us at  (403) 768-2271. Once your emergency has been treated, there are practices you will want to follow to avoid future dental problems.

• Limit consumption of sugary foods
• Brush with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day
• Floss daily
• Use an antiseptic mouthwash
• Make regular dental visits, at least twice a year, for routine cleanings and tooth/gum maintenance
• If you play a sport that requires physical contact, wear a mouth guard or facemask.

Adhering to these preventative steps will help ensure that you do not find yourself in a painful or dangerous dental emergency. It’s also important to note that, since children suffer a majority of these dental emergencies, you should be teaching and reminding them to follow these same healthy dental habits.