There are many reasons why you may need emergency dental care ranging from an accident or injury to an infection or other problem. Depending on the cause and severity, seeing an oral surgeon may be your best option for finding relief and receiving appropriate treatment. But what can you expect following this visit, and how can you support recovery?
Caring for Your Teeth and Gums Following Emergency Dental Care
Dr. Garibyan and Dr. Kuang can provide the care you need to maintain or restore your smile and improve your oral health. Here are some common reasons why patients seek emergency dental care and what to expect afterward:
Tooth extractions. If your tooth is broken down to the gumline, has extensive damage or decay, or is severely infected, it may need to be removed. An oral surgeon can accurately diagnose problems and carefully extract the affected tooth.
Following surgery, you will need to protect the site by chewing on the opposite side of your mouth and avoiding foods that are crunchy, crumbly, or contain small seeds. These foods may get stuck in the surgical site. Drinking from a cup rather than a straw can help minimize the disruption of blood clots that have formed to protect the surgical site, and thus minimize the incidence of getting dry socket.
Uncontrolled oral bleeding. If you have a cut or surgical site in your mouth that will not stop bleeding, sutures may be used to close the wound. These sutures may be dissolvable and disintegrate on their own as the site heals, or they may need to be removed later by your oral surgeon.
It can be tempting to run your tongue over the stitches or pull back your cheek to see them better, but this can interfere with healing. Leave the stitches alone to prevent a recurrence of bleeding. Gently clean the area as instructed to keep it from becoming infected.
Knocked out tooth. While your teeth have strong roots, sometimes accidents happen, and a tooth may get knocked out. The good news is that, with immediate attention and careful handling, these teeth can often be successfully replanted.
Once your tooth has been reinserted into the socket, be especially vigilant about not bumping or disturbing the site so that the tooth root can reattach to the jawbone. The surgeon may apply a temporary splint to help keep your tooth in place. Maintain a soft diet for the next several weeks and chew on the opposite side of your mouth from where your tooth was replanted.
Maintaining Your Smile Following a Dental Emergency
The recovery process after a dental emergency can vary depending on your concern. Dr. Garibyan and Dr. Kuang at Premier Center for Oral, Dental Implant & Facial Surgery can advise you on how to care for your teeth following an emergency dental care visit and what steps to take next.
