Dental Emergencies - Why It Is Vital You Seek Help Straightaway

Dental emergencies are exactly that — an emergency. Our latest blog is here to walk you through what constitutes a dental emergency, when to seek urgent treatment, and how to reduce the chance of future dental problems.

At M Dental in Canada Water, we offer same-day emergency dentist appointments to patients in SE16 and surrounding areas, including Canada Water, Canary Wharf and Docklands. Whether you're dealing with a painful tooth or a lost crown, we’re here to help quickly and professionally.

Common Dental Emergencies

Most people think of dental emergencies as involving pain. And while that’s the most common reason we see patients urgently, there are many others to look out for, including:

• Bleeding gums; 

• The dreaded crunch - you’ve lost a filling, veneer or crown; 

• A cracked tooth or complete loss of a tooth; 

• An infection; 

• Facial swelling; 

• Mouth ulcers; 

• Difficulty speaking or eating 

If you're experiencing any of these, book an emergency appointment with our Canada Water dental team - simply click here. We offer emergency appointments and are flexible in terms of availability. 

Bleeding Gums

If you experience bleeding gums this could be a sign of bigger problems. But first consider your dental routine. Have you ensured that you aren’t brushing your teeth too vigorously or using the wrong type of brush? If you aren’t sure about this a hygienist, like our resident expert, can walk you through how to care for your teeth. Book your hygienist appointment here.

If the problem isn’t due to vigorous brushing it could be caused by gum disease, gingivitis, plaque build-up or poor hygiene. All of which require a dental visit.  

Loss of a Filling, Crown or Veneer 

If you have lost a filling or damage has been caused to a filling this can be fixed. 

In some cases, although rare, you can also lose a crown or veneer or they could become detached. If this does happen the important thing to do is not to attempt to fix it yourself or reattach the same. Expert care is needed to ensure it is attached correctly and to ensure that no other damage has been caused. You can decrease the chances of crown or veneer issues by ensuring you care for them in line with dental recommendations. Need further advice contact our M Dental Canada Water team. 

Knocked Out Tooth! - What to Do

Unfortunately this does happen in day to day life. It could be from a sporting event, accident or from not looking after teeth correctly. If a tooth does get “knocked out” don’t automatically assume the tooth cannot be saved. Seeing a dentist straight away, or as soon as possible, gives your tooth the best chance of survival. 

Where a tooth has been knocked out, and you still have the tooth, either put it back into the socket (avoid touching the roots) and hold it in place with a clean cloth. If you aren’t able to put it back into the socket the tooth can be stored in a jar along with some milk. After retrieval of the tooth it is important that you see a dentist right away. This will give you the best chance of saving your tooth. 

If a tooth cannot be saved a dentist will walk you through your options when it comes to tooth replacement. Remember there are a lot of reasons why it is important to replace missing teeth. If you aren’t already aware of these head on over to our blog on the subject by clicking here. 

Tip: If you’re in Canada Water SE16 and have a knocked-out tooth, call M Dental Canada Water immediately. We offer urgent dental care and can advise you on next steps over the phone

Cracked, chipped or broken tooth 

This is a common dental emergency and we often see patients in the practice. Even though you might not immediately experience pain it is still very important to see a dentist. Damaged teeth are more likely to suffer problems with bacteria. This in turn can lead to infections. Damaged teeth will also weaken your jaw and cause further damage to surrounding teeth. 

There are multiple options for damaged teeth known as restorative dentistry. Typically the most popular option being the placement of a crown. 

Our restorative dentists in Canada Water can provide same-day treatment, often with a temporary crown or bonding until permanent options are ready.

An Infection or Facial Swelling 

An infection will usually display as toothache. Sometimes you may also experience facial swelling which is a sign that something is wrong in either your teeth or gums. 

Infections can be treated with a treatment or course of antibiotics. Left untreated they will have an impact on your overall health and well as an increase in discomfort and pain. 

Whether the pain or swelling is mild or moderate regardless of the severity it is always advisable to see a dentist. Left untreated, dental infections can lead to serious health complications. Always seek urgent dental care in SE16 if pain or swelling worsens.

Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are not something that you should immediately book an appointment to see a dentist for. However there are occasions where a dentist can help and this could be:

• Due to sharp teeth; 

• Ill-fitting dentures; 

• Mouth trauma; 

• Following a dental procedure like fillings or extractions 

In any of the above scenarios it is advisable to see a dentist for help. Where they aren’t connected they could just be a passing issue or something that warrants a doctor’s appointment, as opposed to a dentist.

Difficulty speaking or eating

If you experience sudden or new problems when it comes to eating or speaking it could be due to a dental issue. Problems like gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss or tooth sensitivity can all impact speaking and eating. If you believe your ability to speak or eat has been triggered by one of these issues you should book a dental appointment without delay. An expert dentist will then be able to advise on the best course of action for treatment. 

Tooth loss, gum problems, or jaw issues can all affect your ability to eat and speak. Book a consultation with our dentists in Canada Water SE16 to find the cause and get a solution.

How Dental Health Affects Your General Health

Your dental health is closely connected to your overall health. Sometimes you’ll experience dental issues as a warning that your overall health needs some attention. Dental infections and chronic gum disease have been linked to heart problems, stroke risk, and pregnancy complications. That’s why even mild symptoms shouldn’t be ignored.

How to Prevent Future Dental Emergencies

You can reduce the risk of urgent dental problems by:

• Maintaining a thorough daily dental routine

• Seeing our hygienist regularly for professional cleaning

• Limiting sugar, alcohol and acidic drinks

• Wearing a mouthguard during sports

• Attending check-ups every 6 months

  
  

Book your next check-up with our friendly team in Canada Water by clicking here. 

Here at M Dental we have a team of dental experts to ensure you get the care you need.