3 Ways To Help Yourself Get Great Emergency Dental Care
Trying to fall asleep at night and suddenly feeling a sharp pain in your tooth or having a toothache distract you during the day can feel like a catastrophe. Even small cavities and infections can cause excruciating pain, which is why emergency dental services are available seven days a week to help patients in need. These are three things you can do to help ensure that your emergency dental treatment is a success.
1. Call your dentist before you try any home remedies
There are some home remedies that can alleviate toothaches and other acute oral pain. However, the first thing you should do in a dental emergency is call your dentist at once. Your dentist may have special instructions for you, depending on the situation you're dealing with. If your dentist says it's okay, you can use topical numbing gels, salt water rinses, and over-the-counter pain medication to manage your discomfort until you can get an emergency dental appointment. Even natural remedies, such as clove oil, can be an effective way of dampening oral pain on a short-term basis.
2. Get a ride to the emergency dentist's office
Emergency dentists strive to treat patients as soon as possible so they do not need to continue to suffer. If you're experiencing significant pain or if you feel dizzy due to a fever, you may want to have someone drive you to your dentist's office. This can ensure that you make it safely to your emergency appointment. It can also give you more leeway when it comes to choosing treatment options. Patients who have someone to drive them home can take advantage of sedation dentistry to manage their anxiety during emergency dental procedures, such as tooth extractions and root canals.
3. Take your prescribed medications according to your dentist's instructions
Dentists may prescribe medication for patients who require the services of a specialist but cannot get an appointment right away. If you have an infection in your tooth, gums, or jawbone, your emergency dentist may prescribe antibiotics to get your infection under control. You must finish the entire course of antibiotics, even if you no longer feel pain to ensure that the infection is eradicated completely.
Some medications, such as narcotic painkillers, are meant to be used as needed. You do not need to finish all of your painkillers if you feel that you don't need them. However, pain medication is often more effective when taken before pain becomes severe. If you're experiencing significant pain from an infected tooth and can't see an endodontist right away, you may want to take your pain medication on a regular schedule to keep your pain under control.
Reach out to a local emergency dentist to learn more.
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