One of the most valuable things to know is what qualifies as a medical emergency and what types of conditions need to be treated immediately. This includes all fields of medicine, including dental emergencies. A lot of people do not realize that there are some dental problems that cannot wait to be addressed when the family dentist is out of town. Thankfully, there are a few things to check for when you are determining if you need to find an emergency dentist in Kansas City.
What Requires Emergency Treatment?
By definition, emergency treatment refers to situations that cannot wait to be addressed. If a dentist is on holiday or an incident happens in the middle of the night, these are situations where you need to find another dentist who is experienced in handling time-sensitive situations. In terms of dental care, emergencies can be defined by a few things. If you are in severe pain and are bleeding in the mouth, you should seek out an emergency dentist. If you have lost a tooth (and not a baby tooth), you need emergency treatment to both protect the root and to save the lost tooth. If you know you have an infection and it begins taking a turn for the worse, you should seek emergency care. Likewise, if you see the signs of an infection, which are typically swelling, knots in the gums, and facial swelling in addition to pain, you need to seek emergency care. Finally, if you are bleeding moderately to severely in the mouth or have minor bleeding that won’t stop, this is another reason to seek emergency treatment.
What If the Problem Isn’t an Emergency?
There are some dental problems that can feel like emergencies at the moment, but can actually wait a day or two until your usual family dentist is back in the office. As long as the problem isn’t emergent, you can feel comfortable to rely on your regular dentist, such as one at KC Family Dental. If the problem is an emergency, you should seek out an emergency dentist in Kansas City in such a place first.