Dental health is important and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whether it’s your routine dental checkups or a sudden pain in your teeth, you should always seek the help of a dentist when necessary. The dentist examines your teeth and oral health and recommends the ideal solution.
During your dental visit, you can see an emergency dentist for urgent issues or a regular one. All are equally important, but they handle different cases.
However, there’s a fine line between the two; sometimes, it can be hard to tell the difference. So, in this guide, we explore what sets these two options apart to help you know when you should seek urgent care. Keep reading.
Understanding an Emergency Dentist
An emergency dentist is a professional dentist who handles emergencies. No scheduled appointments are made for the visits, so they are always available to pressing dental issues for which treatment shouldn’t wait. When you have tooth pain, gum bleeds, or you experience any issue that needs an emergency, you should rush to your nearest clinic offering the service.
For instance, in Trenton, you should find a dentist within that region for quick assistance before the problem worsens. An experienced emergency dentist Trenton NJ, should examine you quickly and offer first aid, treatment, and post-care tips.
Check out the below common scenarios in which you may want to see an emergency dentist.
1. Tooth Pain
Tooth pain is an emergency that you shouldn’t stay home with. Whenever your tooth aches, you should visit an emergency dentist immediately for pain relief and a possible lasting solution to the problem. The pain could result from tooth decay, swelling, or even inflammation, which the emergency dentist treats.
2. Cracked Tooth
A tooth can crack following an accident or after biting a hard object. Usually, the crack is very painful and can bring much discomfort. You can’t chew food with it, as there could be some bleeding. You should visit an emergency dentist immediately if your tooth cracks due to an accident.
3. Severe Gum Bleeding
Your gums may bleed as a result of an accident or infection. If the bleeding is severe, you may lose excess blood in your body and feel uncomfortable. It’s advisable to seek the help of an emergency dentist immediately if you experience excessive gum bleeding.
4. Lost or Missing Restorations
The most common restorations of teeth include fillings, crowns, and bridges. They are used to fill tooth cavities or hide tooth imperfections. However, they can sometimes come loose and come out, leaving you in excess pain. When that happens to you, you should seek the immediate help of an emergency dentist.
5. Difficult Swallowing
Trouble swallowing or breathing could indicate a problem with your throat, tongue, or mouth. An emergency dentist can examine you and help you develop an effective and lasting treatment plan.
Understanding a Regular Dentist
A regular dentist is a professional who offers routine dental care checkups. The dentist mainly handles cases that are not urgent and are usually planned. For instance, you can schedule a dental visit with them for a later specified date. When that time comes, they will wait for you for a general checkup or examination. Here are the primary services that a regular dentist offers.
1. Routine Checkups
Routine checkups are the regularly scheduled examinations that you go for to confirm if everything is okay with your dental health. These checkups include scheduled cleaning, where the dentist removes plaque and tartar from your teeth. You don’t have to be in pain when going for checkups, as it’s more of a wellness visit to confirm everything is okay with your dental health.
2. Fixing Restorations
Fillings, crowns, and bridges are common restorations whenever you have a cavity or broken teeth. If the tooth doesn’t hurt, and you can chew normally, you can visit a regular dentist for proper restoration.
3. Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction is an important procedure for painful or overcrowded teeth. A regular dentist offers this service when nothing is alarming enough to handle as an emergency.
4. Basic X-rays
X-rays help get a clearer view of tooth nerves and other internal parts of the teeth. A regular dentist offers an X-ray service if you have an infection or an issue that needs proper imaging.
5. Preventative Care
Preventative care refers to all practices that help improve your oral and dental care. They include good hygiene practices, such as how to brush and floss. They can also include a guide on the ideal meals to maintain healthy oral hygiene. You should visit a regular dentist when you need help in preventative care.
When to Seek Urgent Care
You should seek urgent dental care when you are in pain or experience severe symptoms that interfere with your routine. Here are the main scenarios in which you should get an urgent service:
- Bleeding gums
- Severe tooth pain
- Severe jaw or gum swelling
- Pus on gum or around teeth
- Cracked/broken tooth
- Severe tooth sensitivity
- Difficult swallowing
Conclusion
Emergency and regular dentists play a vital role in ensuring everyone enjoys proper dental health. The key difference between them is the urgency of services offered. An emergency dentist handles emergency cases, while a regular one handles cases that may not be urgent. If you are unsure whether your case is urgent, contact your dentist for guidance and assistance.
Academy Dental offers Cosmetic and General Dental services in Hamilton, NJ, and East Orange, NJ. Their core services include emergency services, root canals, dentures, tooth extractions, dental implants, port dentistry, and veneers. Contact them or visit their offices in NJ for dental consultation and treatment.