How To Be Prepared When You’re Confronted With A Dental Emergency

By Author: Jim Medley
Total Articles: 8
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If you have a dental emergency in Portland Oregon, are you prepared to take action? It is common to have a plan in case of a medical emergency but critical issues involving our teeth are often forgotten, until it is too late. I would like to show you a few steps that you can easily follow to ensure that if the worst happens you know what to do.
What Is A Dental Emergency?
I am amazed by the amount of pain some people can endure when they are having problems with their teeth. Pain is our body's way of saying there is a problem here and encouraging us not to use the affected area. If you suddenly have pain then you definitely have a dental emergency in Portland Oregon. It doesn’t matter if the pain is from a blow that has damaged or loosened a tooth or from a disease that has suddenly flared up and is painful you need to have it attended too quickly. Dentists are available at all hours and it is important to contact them as soon as possible so that they can assess the problem and start treatment.
Where Is Your Dentist & Emergency Treatment Options Located?
If you are confronted by a dental emergency ...
... in Portland Oregon, the last thing you should be doing is searching the yellow pages or the internet to try and find somewhere that you can get treatment. If you don’t have a local dentist then you should devote some time to finding a dental practice that you feel confident in and registering as a patient. Yes, I am telling you to voluntarily go to the dentist and get a check up done as well. When you are comparing different practices make sure that your insurance is compatible and that they have after hour’s treatment options. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before you make your choice and listen to any advice they have because they deal with this situation constantly.
What to Do First, When You Have a Dental Emergency?
If you find yourself with a serious best dentist in Portland Oregon., where there is uncontrolled bleeding, serious damage, risk of further injury or debilitation pain then you should immediately contact 911 and request an ambulance. In less serious cases, keep the person calm and administer first aid. This involves putting pressure on any bleeding, using a cold compress on any swelling or painful areas and assessing if there are any immediate dangers. If teeth have been knocked out then you should clean them with water and re-insert them if possible to preserve the root. For teeth that cannot be re-inserted or for teeth fragments clean them with water and place them in whole milk to give them the best chance to be re-implanted.
Immediately Seek Treatment
When you, a loved one or a friend have a dental emergency in Portland Oregon, it is imperative that you get emergency treatment as soon as possible. Re-implanting teeth and stopping infections spreading can limit any further damage making ongoing treatment easier and less costly. If you are a patient of a dental practice then contact them on the appropriate number. If you are not then you need to find the nearest after hours dental clinic or the nearest emergency room that also has dental facilities. If you are having trouble, your medical insurance company may have a local after hour’s dental contact that they can refer you to.
Dental Insurance
A dental emergency in Portland Oregon can highlight how good or otherwise your dental insurance is. Dental procedures can be expensive and may require several visits to complete. If you have decided to forgo insurance then you may be left with a large bill. Unfortunately, many people that have not researched what their insurance actually covers can get a shock when they find that they are not covered or only partially covered. It is important that you understand what your insurance covers and any exclusions. It is also important to know what they will cover if you are in an emergency and the insurance companies preferred provider is not available. If you do not sort out these details before you or your family needs emergency treatment then it can be enormously distressing having to deal with an emergency and the insurance company at the same time.
Prevention
While it is impossible to prevent some things such as accidents, you can take precautions to make it less likely that you will have a dental emergency in Portland Oregon. If you are having regular check ups and are regularly brushing your teeth then you are taking the best precautions to ensure your teeth are not going to let you down. Insurance companies normally encourage preventative visits by covering their cost. They have long experience that preventative care reduces the likelihood that of expensive treatments.