Second-Guessing If You Need an Emergency Dentist During COVID-19?

Dental emergencies are stressful, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. But one that thing that will put your mind at ease is that dental offices across the country are still open for emergency care. With that said, it can be hard to know if you truly need to see an emergency dentist in East Islip or not. You want to minimize your appointments as much as possible, but you don’t want to let a true emergency go and risk more damage to your oral health (not to mention more pain!) In this blog, you’ll find out how to know whether you’re having a true emergency and get some easy tips for preventing them altogether.

What Constitutes a True Dental Emergency During COVID-19?

The following are all indications that you need to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible (if you’re ever in doubt, you can always call first):

• Debilitating pain – Pain that keeps you from eating, sleeping, or working needs to be addressed right away.
• A loose or knocked-out tooth – A knocked-out tooth has a better chance of being saved if you’re seen with an hour of your injury.
• A chipped tooth or broken dental work that’s causing pain – If you’re in pain after chipping a tooth or breaking any dental work, call a dentist to make the first available appointment and try to chew on the opposite side until you’re seen. It can usually wait a little while if you aren’t in pain, but you still need to call for advice over the phone on when to come in.
• You have sign of an infection or abscess – Indications of an infection include fever, throbbing pain, swelling in your lip or cheek, or a pimple-like bump on your gums. Infections can spread to the rest of the body and become very dangerous, so they need immediate treatment.

Easy Ways To Prevent Dental Emergencies

• Don’t open bottles or packages with your teeth, and avoid chewing on ice, hard candies, etc.
• Keep up with your oral hygiene at home to prevent cavities, toothaches, and other issues.
• Wear a custom-made athletic guard when playing sports to prevent accidents like knocked-out teeth.
• If necessary, wear a custom-made nightguard to prevent chips and fractures from clenching and grinding.

During COVID-19, it’s helpful to have a game plan for the unexpected. This information will help you minimize your chances of a dental emergency and also know how to handle one if it does occur.

About the Author

Dr. Julie Boerger has been a general and emergency dentist in East Slip for more than 10 years. She and her team have the training, technology and experience to get their patients out of pain quickly and are always open for emergency care 7 days a week, including during COVID-19. If you think you’re having a dental emergency or have any questions, she can be reached via her website.