What's a Dental Emergency?

What qualifies as a dental emergency? Is it a tooth knocked out of place by accident? A loose crown? Sleep apnea?

Dentists can't agree on a definition, but any individual who starts to feel pain or panic does. It's when you really wish for a dentist to look at your out-of-place braces at 3:00 a.m., for instance. Many dentists either take calls (to prioritize your case within 24 hours) or work round the clock to your benefit. How a dentist gets enough rest is a story for another time.

The good news is that nearly every known dental problem qualifies as an emergency. It's only a matter of knowing whether or not you really need someone who can help right now. Toothache, which can be a result of a loose tooth or abscess, is considered a dental emergency. Post-op effects like bleeding gums are also dental emergencies.

However, most dentists usually take calls after hours and attend to you during office hours. So, you'll have to find ways to cope with the pain while you wait. For aching teeth, put a bag of ice next to the pain area. For a loose crown, place it back using over-the-counter dental cement or wait for the dentist to do it for you.