Dental Emergencies and What You Should Do from Your Portage Dentist

At one point or another, everyone has experienced a dental emergency and has needed immediate care. Whether it’s from a sports-related injury, an unfortunate eating accident, or the result of poor dental hygiene, it can be painful and scary. When it happens, it can be tricky to determine whether it’s an emergency that requires immediate attention. By and large, any intense, ongoing pain necessitates a visit to your Portage dentist. In this post, we’d like to go over some common dental emergencies and how you should respond if – or when – they happen to you.

A knocked-out tooth

Most common in children and young adults, especially teens active in sports, a knocked-out tooth requires immediate dental assistance. When handling the knocked-out tooth, only touch the hard, chewing surfaces and avoid handling it by the root, as this can cause irreparable damage that could prevent reinsertion.

A chipped or broken tooth

If you have a broken or chipped tooth, you may or may not need to call your Portage dentist right away. Of course, if there is pain or bleeding, dental intervention is likely necessary. However, if these conditions are absent, you can simply call and make an appointment to see your dentist when they are next available.

A severe toothache

Caused by a range of issues, toothaches are a difficult emergency to diagnose on your own. As a rule of thumb, if the ache is constant or sharp enough to interrupt your sleep, you should contact your dentist immediately.

At Portage Lakes Dentistry, we’ve been the premier Portage dentist since 1986. As a family business, we take pride in our ability to address our clients’ needs on a personal, friendly level. If you’ve been looking for a dentist that will treat your family like their own, give us a call today to make your next appointment!