Experiencing a dental emergency can be painful and stressful. No one wants to go through a dental emergency or watch a loved one experience problems. The reality is, however, that dental emergencies do occur. You need to be prepared and know what to do just in case you or a loved one faces a dental emergency in the future. The first step is to learn what constitutes a dental emergency. Then, you need to find a dentist who provides emergency dental services. Once you know what constitutes a dental emergency and where to go for help, the final step is to learn the process your dentist uses when it comes to treating dental emergencies.

Learn what constitutes a dental emergency

The definition of a dental emergency can be difficult to nail down. What feels like an emergency to one person may not feel like an emergency to someone else. Instead of relying on your own interpretation of a dental emergency, you should learn what constitutes a dental emergency for your dentist. Your dentist will be able to provide you with a description of what constitutes a dental emergency so you can do a self-assessment any time you are having trouble with your teeth. Generally, a dental emergency includes knocking a tooth loose, knocking a tooth out, or experiencing such severe pain that it prevents you from doing everyday activities. Your dentist can provide you with more in-depth information about what constitutes a dental emergency.

Find a dentist who provides emergency dental services

As you prepare for the possibility of a dental emergency in the future, you need to make sure that any dentist you consider offers emergency dental services. Dentists set their own hours and policies when it comes to providing emergency dental care. This means that there may be some dentists in your area with very limited options when it comes to dental emergencies. Finding a dentist who offers emergency dental services (or checking to make sure your current dentist does) will ensure that you have a place to go in the case of a dental emergency.

Familiarize yourself with the process your dentist uses for dental emergencies

The process for dealing with dental emergencies can vary from dentist to dentist. Some dentists include extended hours in their regular schedule to account for the possibility of dental emergencies. Other dentists provide patients with an after-hours phone number to call in the event of an emergency. Familiarizing yourself with the process your dentist uses for dental emergencies will allow you to get help quickly when you have an emergency because you will not waste time trying to figure out how to get in touch.

The best time to prepare for a dental emergency is before it happens. A few proactive steps now will help you tremendously in the event of an emergency. If you are an established patient with Dr. Singh and want to know more about the emergency policy, take a look at the ‘emergency dental care’ page on the Dental Remedies website.