Having to look for an emergency dentist in Greenville, SC is not something many people expect. Although uncommon, emergency situations involving your teeth can occur. Leaving a serious dental issue untreated until a routine appointment becomes available can lead to infections, severe pain and loss of function in your mouth.
It’s therefore important that the dental practice you go to has emergency services available, so that you can get treatment from dentists in Greenville, SC at any time of the day.
Who Might Need an Emergency Dentist?
Many people may need emergency dental treatment for various reasons. In truth, everyone could develop a dental issue, but there are some groups of people within the family who are more susceptible than others.
The ‘baby’ teeth that children lose between the ages of around 5 and 8 are important for the growth of adult teeth. Damage to the baby teeth can cause issues for the child later in life.
Regardless of how old your child is, they can often get into little accidents as they explore their surroundings, and chipped or knocked out teeth aren’t uncommon.
Elderly people are more at risk of a number of conditions, including gum disease, tooth decay and denture-induced stomatitis. Also, some people may already have an oral condition that needs monitoring to ensure it doesn’t get worse. Issues such as impacted teeth, root canal problems, and decay can all lead to excruciating pain that may need emergency treatment.
What Procedures can an Emergency Dentist Offer?
An emergency dentist will either have time set aside each day for treatment that can’t wait, or will be available to contact out of hours. Although panic can set in when any injury to the mouth, teeth or gum occurs, try to recognise what constitutes a dental emergency. Excessive bleeding, severe pain and swelling can indicate an emergency, whilst a chipped tooth or re-cementing a crown tend not to be.
In general, all of the procedures a dentist offers within normal working hours can also be performed as emergency treatment. Therefore, select a dentist who has a wide range of treatments available so you’re not caught short when it matters.
When signing up with a new dental practice, speak to staff about what protocol is in place for emergency treatment. This will allow you be feel safe in the knowledge that you and your family can seek help if an accident or urgent dental situation should occur.
Sources:
Dental Emergency, MouthHealthy.com
Handling Dental Emergencies, WebMD.com
