A dental emergency could happen to any patient at any moment. Because of this, it’s important that you, your dental team, and your reception staff are aware of how best to assist and support patients in these scenarios.
In most cases of dental emergency, pain is a big factor. There are a number of things that might lead to dental pain, with causes including tooth decay, a dental abscess or other infection, a cracked tooth, a broken or loose filling, gingivitis, or bruxism.
When patients are experiencing a dental emergency, it is often recommended that they phone 111 to seek advice and help them find their nearest emergency dentist. However, it may take some time to get an appointment, perhaps waiting until the following day. As such, it’s important that the dental team can offer guidance about how to manage their pain in the meantime.
What constitutes a dental emergency
It is important that the dental team understands what qualifies as a dental emergency, to enable them to most effectively help patients get the treatment and potentially urgent appointments they may need.
There are a number of complaints that might constitute a dental emergency including heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop, severe distracting tooth pain, swelling or infection, or a knocked-out tooth. It is important that patients are aware that they should contact an emergency dentist if they are experiencing these symptoms.
Sometimes, dental problems are not considered emergencies, but should still be prioritised over routine care. For example, usually a cracked or chipped tooth isn’t considered a dental emergency, as well as toothache if it isn’t causing severe pain. A missing crown or filling may also not be considered a dental emergency, however, dentists should aim to see these patients as a priority. This is not to say that patients shouldn’t contact their dental practice in these scenarios, but they may have to wait slightly longer for care.
Ultimately, toothache can have a wide range of causes – so it is essential that patients receive care quickly to ensure the problem is treated.
Managing patients in pain and distress
With any painful dental issue, waiting for a dental appointment (no matter how quickly they can be seen) can feel like an eternity. As such, when talking to patients over the phone, it can be helpful to recommend ways that they can manage their pain in the meantime.
Some common recommendations for relieving dental pain include taking painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol, using a pain-relieving topical gel for the mouth, rinsing the mouth with salt water if an infection is suspected, eating only soft foods and avoiding chewing with the sore tooth, and using a soft toothbrush to clean the teeth, avoiding flossing or hard-bristled toothbrushes in the affected area.
Whilst these methods will not treat the source of the pain, they will help patients to soothe their discomfort while they wait for their dental appointment.
Before they get to the practice
It may be several hours or even days before a patient can attend an emergency appointment/before one can be made available, so dental practices should recommend the use of Orajel to ease their discomfort.
Orajel Dental Gel offers rapid toothache relief where it is needed the most. The topical gel contains 10 per cent benzocaine to reduce pain in a broken tooth, or tooth with a cavity, for example. Benzocaine temporarily blocks pain signals along the nerves, and numbs the problem area quickly. For patients in acute dental pain, Orajel Extra Strength features the maximum concentration (20 per cent) of benzocaine to deliver a powerful local anaesthetic in a patient’s time of need. Patients can use Orajel up to four times a day, enabling them to manage their pain at home whilst they wait for an emergency appointment.
In order to avoid toothache, recommend that patients attend the practice regularly and maintain a good oral hygiene routine. However, when a dental emergency does strike, ensure that your dental team is able to offer patients the care and advice they need to manage their pain before their appointment.
References available on request.
For more information visit https://www.orajel.co.uk/