When you are thinking about choosing a dentist, you may be thinking of what their opening times are for your regular check-ups and having your scale and polish. However, choosing a dentist also involves considering what provision they have for when things go wrong. Nobody wants to think about bad things occurring, however, the reality is that you or your family could need an emergency dentist for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s an accident during sports or playing at the park, relentless toothache that comes on at the weekend and you can’t bear it, or maybe you need some post-operative care and you can’t do it yourself; whatever it is, choosing an Emergency Dentist in Dublin should be on your dentist-finding list of requirements.

What’s the difference between non-urgent and emergency treatments?

There are a number of different scenarios which may require you to hot-foot it to the dentist. Knowing when something is an emergency or not is often one of the troubleshooting tasks that patients don’t necessarily feel equipped to make. While a list can be given of non-urgent and Emergency Dentist in Dublin worthy reasons to either skip or go to the dentist out of hours, it is not exhaustive, and patients should air on the side of caution if they are unsure and see a dentist.

When it’s not an emergency

Some examples of non-urgent treatments are having your teeth professionally cleaned by the dentist. As lovely as it is to feel your teeth squeaky clean, needing to have them cleaned for your date on Saturday night does not qualify as an emergency and dentists will not be able to accommodate this treatment outside of normal working hours. Dental x-rays for routine checks are also performed during your regular check-ups and will not be offered outside of practice hours. You will not be given treatment for your teeth if you are not in pain, so if a filling falls out and it doesn’t hurt, you’re free to enjoy the weekend and make an appointment with your dentist in the working week. Braces check-ups are also not part of an emergency appointment.

When it’s an emergency

So, when should alarm bells start ringing and when should you pick up the red flashing phone (you don’t have to have one of these to make a call, but it would look pretty cool and appropriate in a crisis!) Again, the list isn’t exhaustive, but you may find that you need to see a dentist if you are in pain or have bleeding that will not stop. You could experience severe swelling in and around your mouth – areas such as the face, gums, or neck, for example. Any pain and swelling could be a sign of infection, so it is advisable to seek support from a dentist to prevent infection spreading or becoming more chronic. You may have a temporary crown that becomes loose or lost, or you could have dentures that aren’t functioning as they should. Accidents involving your mouth can occur that may then affect your ability to breathe properly, or you may have wires on your fixed metal braces that are causing you severe pain and may need adjusting.

So, when looking for a dentist, make sure to factor in their availability for if the worst should happen. While we don’t like to think about accidents, it can make a big difference to know where to go immediately, if they do occur.

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