Reasons Why A Partially Dislodged Tooth Should Prompt A Visit To An Emergency Dentist
Posted on: 22 January 2020
While abnormalities in your oral health should have you visit your dentist as soon as possible, some situations should never be taken for granted. One such scenario is a tooth that is partially dislodged. Whether you are in pain or not, here are two reasons why a partially dislodged tooth should prompt a visit to an emergency dentist.
Increase the chances of salvaging the tooth
Some people may be under the impression that a partially dislodged tooth will eventually settle back into place if it is left alone. However, this is grossly incorrect. When your tooth becomes dislodged from the socket, it means that the root of the tooth is now exposed. Exposure of the roots means the pulp in the tooth itself is not receiving the nutrition it requires from your blood circulation for it to keep the tooth alive. Therefore, the longer the tooth stays dislodged, the higher the likelihood that the tooth will die and the only course of action will be extracting it completely.
In addition to this, an exposed root becomes vulnerable to trauma. Since the roots are tasked with keeping the tooth anchored into the jawbone, dislodgement means that actions such as chewing could easily displace the entire tooth! Once you notice that one of your teeth is feeling loose, you should rush to an emergency dentist so that it can be salvaged back into place.
Mitigate the risk of infection
The second reason why it is crucial to visit an emergency dentist when your tooth becomes partially dislodged is to limit the threat of developing an infection. A tooth that is in jeopardy, more so by being fractionally out of place, is at a high risk of acquiring further damage. You should take into account that the space left in between the gums and your teeth can begin to harbour food particles. Over a short period, bacteria begin to grow in that space, and you could end up losing the entire tooth due to bacteria spreading into the root and the pulp.
Furthermore, when a tooth is partially dislodged, any trauma to the gum under the tooth can quickly transform into an abscess. As a result, you not only lose the tooth, but you will also have to contend with a gum infection! An emergency dentist will not only check for signs for an infection, but they will restore the tooth into its socket to minimise the risk of developing one.
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