Advice from a Bristol dentist about what course of action to take.
With good general oral health care, including regular brushing and flossing, those six monthly visits to the dentist should hopefully result in no more than a simple oral health check, or perhaps, at worst, a minor procedure such as a filling or a scale and polish to help prevent onset of gum disease.
Even with the best will in the world though, sometimes dental emergencies arise. These can be the result of an accident or perhaps an infection which has affected the nerves of the teeth.
In most cases, a dental emergency is a painful experience and needs prompt treatment.
Pain relief
When dental pain occurs or where there is significant damage to a tooth, the first thing that you should do is to call the Beau Monde Dental Care family dental practice in Bristol.
The earlier in the day that you call, the sooner we will be able to see you and we will always attempt to see you the same day. In cases where this is not possible, we will offer appropriate advice.
Inevitably, there will be always some delay before any dental treatment is performed and this period of time, even if just an hour or two, will seem to be much longer if you are in pain.
Paracetamol offers effective relief in most cases and is something that most households have available. Ibuprofen can also be very effective when it comes to dental pain, although this can interact with some medicines so it is important to read the leaflet or ask your pharmacist for advice before taking it.
Clove oil too can be effective if dabbed in the painful area. It does however have a very strong taste which some may dislike.
Foods or drinks should be taken cautiously and extremes of temperatures should be avoided to prevent pain from sensitivity.
Sedation
If you are in pain, it is likely that a procedure will be carried out that same day. In some cases, this may be an invasive procedure and one that almost certainly will need a local anaesthetic to perform it. However, the local anaesthetic should cause no problems in returning to work afterwards if you feel up to it.
If you are a nervous patient and opt to to have sedation for the treatment, you may need to take time off work afterwards as you will feel a little ‘woozy’. You are also advised to have someone who can assist you to get home after the procedure, just to be on the safe side if you do feel a little unsteady.
If you are in pain or have suffered significant damage to a tooth, please don’t delay and call Beau Monde Dental Care straight away on 0117 330 3495. We’ll do all we can to relieve your pain quickly.