Dental Emergency Examples: Cracking and Bleeding

In part one of this two-part blog series, we looked at some notable examples of dental emergencies that will typically require immediate attention, even if outside normal business hours. Knowing which conditions should receive this level of care, versus those that can wait until a standard appointment time with your dentist, is very important for long-term dental care 

At Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry, we're proud to offer a variety of family dental services for patients around Layton and nearby areas, including emergency dentistry solutions available 24/7 for major issues. Here are some additional examples of what qualifies as a dental emergency, plus some examples of issues that generally are not as serious and can wait for a normal appointment.

Severe Tooth Cracking

While minor cracking or chips may not necessarily qualify as an emergency, larger cracks or fractures can significantly damage the inner layers of a tooth and potentially even lead to infection. If you've experienced a serious crack in one of your teeth, contact us immediately for help.

This is especially true if there is significant bleeding, pain or swelling associated with the issue. These are all signs that the injury is more severe and needs to be addressed right away.

Major Bleeding Gums

Again, gum-bleeding is an area where minor issues aren't much of a problem - such as if you have some brief bleeding during or right after flossing. However, if you notice that your gums are regularly bleeding more heavily or in greater amounts than usual, this could be a sign of major gum disease.

It could also be due to a significant injury or impact like a fall or punch, and should be addressed right away. Severe bleeding gums can also lead to infection and even tooth loss in serious cases.

Dental Issues That Typically Aren't Emergencies

While no one is saying they aren't important and shouldn't be addressed, here are some examples of dental issues that generally can be left until a standard appointment with your dentist:

• Minor toothache: While we went over severe, persistent toothaches as a dental emergency in part one of our series, a minor toothache that comes and goes isn't usually something we'd classify as an emergency.
• Chipped teeth: Unless the chip is very large or accompanied by pain, swelling, bleeding or other more serious symptoms, chipped teeth can generally wait for standard care.
• Slight misalignment: Minor re-alignments in teeth don't typically require emergency care, and can be addressed during a future appointment.

These are just a few examples dental issues that don't necessarily qualify as an emergency. At the same time, if you're ever in doubt about whether or not an issue is serious, contact a professional for help.

At Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry, we're here to provide quality family and emergency dentistry solutions in Layton and the surrounding areas. If you ever have questions or aren't sure if an issue requires immediate attention, please don't hesitate to contact us for help. We'll get you the answer you need!