Dental emergencies are a part of life that can occur at any time. Whether it’s an accident, the sudden onset of pain, or a failure of a dental repair, these issues require immediate action to prevent long-term damage to oral health and function. Thankfully, new advancements in emergency dentistry are making it easier for dentists to provide prompt care for their patients. With the right knowledge and the ability to act quickly, a dental emergency can be managed effectively and without the need for costly hospitalization.

The key to managing any dental emergency is prevention with regular care. This can include twice-yearly visits to the dentist for cleanings and exams, along with a routine of good oral hygiene to help avoid cavities and brittle tooth damage. However, accidents are not always preventable, and even with the best preventative care, dental emergencies can happen. This is why having a plan for handling dental emergencies in the case of an unexpected event can make a big difference in preserving oral health.

There are several types of dental emergencies, but not all of them necessitate instant professional intervention. A severe toothache or profuse bleeding after a dental extraction are clear cases of needing urgent care, but other issues such as a broken filling, chipped tooth, or lost crown might not need immediate attention. Determining the severity of an issue is essential, as over-the-counter pain relievers and cold compresses can often be sufficient to manage discomfort until a visit to the dentist can be scheduled.

One of the biggest challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic has been to find an effective means of addressing dental emergencies. As restrictions on public movements have led to reduced access to the emergency department, dentists and their staff have had to adjust to manage a higher number of patients with dental-related emergencies. This paper describes the protocol developed by the Emergency Dental Clinic directors and residents at the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) to assess and prioritize patients for treatment. This included committee-based prioritization, a multilayered screening process, modified office procedures including teledentistry and use of N95 masks, and a patient rotation system with social and temporal spacing.

If a dental emergency does arise, it is important to remain calm and follow the recommendations for each type of issue. If possible, a knocked out tooth should be placed back in the socket and kept moist with milk or saliva until seen by a dentist. If a tooth cannot be returned to its place, try using dental cement from your emergency kit to keep it in place until you can see a dentist. Taking these steps can save your teeth and avoid costly emergency dental services. For more details on  emergency dentistry visit https://www.thetorrancedentist.net/.