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Posted on: June 11, 2020
When to Seek Emergency Dentistry Treatment in Rockefeller Plaza

Are You Experiencing a Dental Emergency in Rockefeller Plaza?
Dental emergencies often occur at the most inopportune moments and can seem to shatter your world. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency in Rockefeller Plaza, then you’re not alone. According to the CDC, unplanned dentistry accounts for more than $45 billion in lost job productivity and more than 34 million hours of lost educational opportunity. Knowing more about what constitutes a dental emergency and how to cope with it can minimize its impact on your life.
What’s Meant By A Dental Emergency?
Although your tolerance to pain and your willingness to accept it can minimize the impact of an emergency situation, it won’t lessen the effects on your dental health. If you have severe pain that disrupts your sleep and can’t be alleviated by over-the-counter pain relievers, then you should immediately seek the services of an emergency dentist. If you have a dull ache or a throbbing pain in or around a tooth, it could indicate the presence of an infection or abscess, which are serious issues that should be treated without delay.
Cavities can cause extreme pain and can become abscessed if not treated. Proper oral hygiene can prevent cavities and the need for some types of emergency dentistry. The CDC refers to cavities as one of the most chronic diseases of childhood, afflicting 26 percent of children and 66 percent of adolescents.
Any type of injury to the mouth can necessitate emergency dentistry. If your cheeks, lips or tongue have been lacerated, punctured or torn, then it’s considered a dental emergency. Other reasons to seek emergency treatment include:
- A swollen airway that makes it difficult to breathe
- Chills and fever that accompany mouth pain
- Gum injury with excessive bleeding
- A tooth that has been chipped, cracked or knocked out
Other common occurrences that may not be considered an emergency but can benefit from our same-day, walk-in dental services include:
- Losing a dental crown or filling or porcelain veneer, especially when you’re eating
- Damage to your bridge
- Gums that bleed when you brush
- Sensitivity to temperature when eating or drinking
Are You Experiencing Any of The 7 Signs of a Dental Emergency in Rockefeller Plaza?
- Dislodged or fractured filling: A broken filling can have jagged edges that can lacerate your tongue and cheek, so if you break or dislodge a filling, be sure to seek emergency treatment without delay.
- Non-stop bleeding: If you’ve experienced trauma to your face or jaw or if you’ve had an extraction and the bleeding doesn’t stop, it’s called hemorrhaging. You need to seek emergency treatment without delay because this is a very serious situation.
- Facial swelling: Facial edema can indicate several conditions including a severe allergic reaction, an infection or inflammation, TMJ dislocation or a fracture. All of these require immediate attention, so don’t delay in seeking the emergency services of your local dentist.
- Gum injury: If you’ve injured your gums, it’s important to visit your dentist as soon as possible so that the wound can be cleaned and treated, and your dentist can ensure that your surrounding teeth weren’t damaged.
- Knocked-out tooth: If you’ve had a tooth knocked out and you get to a dentist promptly, your tooth might be able to be reinserted as long as not more than an hour has elapsed. If you’re active in high-impact sports, the ADA recommends that you keep an ADA-approved emergency tooth preservation kit on hand.
- Infection and dry socket pain after extraction: Less than five percent of people develop a dry socket after a dental extraction, but the pain of it can be so severe that it can’t be managed by over-the-counter painkillers. When a blood clot doesn’t form in the socket, the nerves and bone are exposed and can be adversely affected by fluid, food, and air. The ensuing pain can extend to the neck and ear, you may experience dizziness or a headache, and sometimes an oral stench, which will indicate that you have a dental infection and need immediate dental treatment in Rockefeller Plaza.
- Fractured jaw: If you’ve experienced trauma to your jaw, then be sure to seek emergency dental treatment in your area to ensure that your teeth aren’t damaged or misaligned.
Can I Delay Getting Treatment for a Tooth Abscess?
If you have an abscessed tooth, it can adversely impact both your physical and your oral health, and it can be a life-threatening condition. Up to 40 percent of people with an untreated abscessed tooth will die because they develop mediastinitis, which is irritation and swelling of the area of the chest between the lungs. The infection can also spread to the sinuses and into the brain or to the bloodstream or the bone marrow, all of which can severely damage your major organs.
Good oral hygiene will prevent most dental abscesses since many are caused by cavities. However, other causes include:
- An unsuccessful root canal
- A cracked or fractured tooth, especially from a trauma
- A wisdom tooth that hasn’t fully erupted
Your dentist will drain the abscess and provide you with antibiotics to eliminate the infection and then evaluate the area to determine if the tooth can be saved or if you need an extraction.
Is a Cracked Tooth Considered a Dental Emergency?
Whether your cracked tooth was caused by biting incorrectly on hard candy or ice, or it was the result of trauma, you should seek immediate dental treatment if you have a cracked tooth, so call your dentist without delay. If you engage in sports activities or you have bruxism, which is teeth grinding, then a custom-fitted mouthguard might help you. A mouthguard will protect your teeth from impacts and the erosion that occurs from bruxism. If a custom mouthguard isn’t an option, generic ones are available as boil-and-bite models. Whichever type of dental mouthguard you select, make sure the package carries the ADA seal of acceptance, which ensures that the product will work when used as directed.
Although many types of dental emergencies can be prevented by a regimen of good oral hygiene, accidents happen and you may need emergency dentistry in Rockefeller Plaza. Call us today for high-quality and affordable care that’s gentle on your mouth and your budget. Our Dental Care Alliance practice consistently exceeds the highest level of patient care and we value our reputation. Call us to schedule routine dental procedures or if you need emergency or immediate treatment.