Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Emergency Dentistry

Dental emergencies cover any injury, infection, or pain that stops you from eating, sleeping or concentrating on everyday tasks. Typical cases include knocked-out teeth, cracked or chipped teeth, bleeding that won’t slow after ten minutes, facial swelling, loose restorations and severe toothache that throbs or shoots to the ear.

When in doubt, please call our emergency dentists in Pimpama straight away. We can offer first-aid advice over the phone and usually reserve same-day appointments for urgent situations.

How to Handle a Dental Emergency

If an adult tooth is knocked out, hold it by the crown, rinse briefly in saline or tap water and try to reposition it in the socket. Failing that store the tooth in cold milk or saliva and get to the clinic within thirty minutes.

For broken teeth, save any fragments and keep them moist. Apply a cold pack to the cheek to limit swelling and use over-the-counter pain relief you would normally take for a headache unless advised otherwise by your general practitioner.

Please never use superglue or other household adhesives on teeth.

Need Emergency Dental Care in Pimpama?

Prompt professional care boosts the chances of saving teeth, eases pain quickly and prevents infection from spreading, so please contact us the moment trouble strikes. We're always here to offer our help and expertise.

A 'dry socket' (alveolar osteitis) occurs when the protective blood clot that forms after an extraction is lost or never fully develops, leaving bone and nerve endings exposed. This can cause throbbing pain that radiates to the ear or temple, an unpleasant taste and noticeable bad breath.

It typically appears two to four days after surgery and is more common in lower molar and wisdom-tooth removals.

A dry socket can affect anyone, even if you never had one previously, or even if you followed all prescribed instructions. Rarely, a dry socket can last for more than 4 weeks, but most resolve within a week of first appearing.

You can greatly reduce the risk by following a few simple steps:

• Protect the clot — Avoid rinsing, vigorous spitting and drinking through straws for the first 24 hours. These actions create suction that can dislodge the clot.
• Skip the smoke, vape and alcohol — Nicotine and alcohol slows healing, and the suction motion of smoking can breakdown or pull out the clot. Try to abstain for at least 72 hours.
• Eat soft, cool foods — Stick to yoghurt, mashed veggies and smoothies (with a spoon, no straw!) on day one. Crunchy or sticky foods can disturb the site.
• Keep the area clean — Starting on day two, rinse lightly with warm salt water after meals and brush the surrounding teeth carefully.
• Follow your dentist’s instructions — If antibiotics or medicated mouthwash are prescribed, use them exactly as directed.

Still in Pain? Please Call Us!

If pain increases rather than improves after the second day, please contact our team at Dental in Focus Pimpama promptly. Our dentists can place a soothing medicated dressing that relieves discomfort and speeds up healing.

Dental pain should always be assessed by a dental professional

It is common to try to "tough it out" when it comes to dental pain, but it can lead to greater problems in the future. Dental pain can indicate an active infection in a tooth or the gums, and even minor pain could be the first signs that a problem is building.

While rare, uncontrolled infections can lead to serious health complications, as teeth sit adjacent to vital structures such as the brain, throat and airway. Serious complications include but are not limited to:

• Ludwig's Angina - a swelling at the rear of the mouth often caused by an infected molar or wisdom tooth, which obstructs the airway and in serious instances can result in death due to a lack of air.
• Sepsis - infiltration of bacteria into the bloodstream, which can circulate around the body and lead to septic shock or death.
• Inhalation Pneumonia - the inhalation of bacteria of infected tissue (often from teeth or gums) into the lungs, which can result in infection of the lungs.

If you suspect your life may be in danger, call 000 immediately or go to the nearest emergency department without delay.

It is advisable to check out all dental pain, regardless of how minor, as it could prevent greater consequences if left untreated. Our team at Dental In Focus Pimpama will assess your presenting complaint seriously, and will endeavour to diagnose and treat your dental issue.