Greenslopes Dental is open for your emergency dental needs
During this uncertain time, we are still open as an emergency dentist. So you can visit us in our Greenslopes clinic for your emergency dental needs. Whilst we remain open, we have taken extra measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff, including extra sanitation processes. It can be tricky to determine what classifies as an emergency, so we’ve delved into it for you.
How to know if it’s a dental emergency
It can be hard to determine if your dental problem is an emergency or something that can be cured with time at home. We know that not everyone will know the signs and symptoms of a dental emergency, so if you are unsure, give us a call and we can discuss the best course of action. Even sending through photos of your problem area can provide us with a better understanding of the problem.
If you are in pain, it will most likely be considered an emergency, however, we do ask that you call to discuss before coming in for an appointment. We need to put everyone’s health first.
Your dental problem could be considered an emergency if any of the following apply:
- Are there signs of infection?
- Is there uncontrollable bleeding?
- Do you have a severe toothache?
- Is there damage to your teeth?
What is not an emergency?
If your dental problem can wait, we ask that you do so. However, we also ask that you confirm with us, as sometimes these issues can worsen with time.
Some dental problems that aren’t considered an emergency can include:
- General Maintenance
- Whilst we always say to visit at least once a year, we ask that you do your best to care for your teeth with proper clean. During this time, a regular check-up is not necessary.
Common emergencies
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you are most likely experiencing one of the common dental emergencies:
- Knocked out tooth
- This situation can be resolved if you are able to get to us immediately. In that situation, we can often put it back, so long as you are careful when bringing the tooth with you. If you can place the tooth back in its place without causing pain, we suggest doing so, otherwise placing it in a cup of milk will also help! Calling us as soon as the tooth is knocked out will allow us to provide accurate guidance to your next steps and hopefully mean that we can save your tooth.
- Fractured or chipped tooth
- If you have a painful fracture, clean your mouth with warm water, then apply a cold compress to the outside to help ease the pain. The resolution will depend on the severity of the fracture. If it’s a simple, small fracture it may only need to be smoothed over. However, a deeper fracture could often lead to the tooth needing to be fully removed.
- Abscessed tooth
- An abscess is when a pocket of pus leads to infection. This is a serious condition that can cause serious damage. It will trigger swelling of the face, tooth sensitivity and a constant toothache. When you notice any of these symptoms, call us immediately, as it will only get worse. In the meantime, to ease the pain you can rinse your mouth with saltwater, this will draw some of the pus to the surface.
How to avoid potential emergencies
During this uncertain time, we strongly recommend doing the best you can to avoid a dental emergency. We understand that sometimes it’s inevitable, however, there are some precautions you can take to ensure your dental health stays strong. Brush and floss your teeth twice a day, every day. Avoid contact sports, which under the current circumstances should be in place already, however, if you are intending on playing a contact sport, use a customised mouthguard to ensure maximum protection of your teeth. Don’t try to open packets with your teeth, use scissors when possible. Avoid chewing on hard objects such as pens, ice and even nuts.
If you are experiencing any sort of dental pain, do not hesitate to contact us, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We are remaining open for your dental emergencies. So if you are experiencing dental pain, please visit us and not a hospital. Not only will this ensure less potential exposure it can also help ease pressure on emergency rooms. Even if it is not a dental emergency, our skilled team can provide help in order to ease your pain or even resolve the issue.