Dental Emergency During Quarantine? Don’t Panic!

During the outbreak of Coronavirus, the key is to isolate yourself to prevent the spread of the virus and lower your risk of being infected. That’s why dentists and other medical professionals have closed their offices for nonessential visits. So, what happens if you’re having a dental emergency? Should you risk breaking your quarantine to get treatment? And, is your dentist even available? Keep reading to learn the important answers.

But First, What’s Considered a Dental Emergency?

It’s vital that you can first identify that you’re having an emergency. Discomfort in a tooth can often be an irritating piece of food, so try flossing and rinsing your mouth if you notice sudden pain. However, if your pain persists, you may have a toothache. This is one of the most common dental emergencies. If the pain in your mouth is causing you to lose focus on your normal tasks, then you’re having an emergency. This includes sudden injury, cracked teeth, chipped teeth, lost fillings or crowns, missing teeth, and much more. If one of these problems occurs, call your dentist right away for your next steps. Even if you’re uncertain of your emergency, it’s best to contact a professional to be sure.

Choose Your Dentist Over the ER

It’s always better to see your dentist for a dental emergency because they simply know your smile better than the average doctor. They have a wide range of treatment options to help save your teeth and get you out of pain. However, during COVID-19, it’s especially beneficial to visit your dentist. While they are closed for elective treatments, they’re ready to help in your time of need. Their offices are clean, sterilized, and experience far less foot traffic than the emergency room, lowering your risk of coming in contact with the virus.

When an Emergency Room Visit is Necessary

There are some cases that require an emergency visit immediately instead of visiting your dentist. Jaw injury, deep facial cuts, uncontrollable bleeding, problems that affect breathing, or any other potentially life-threatening issues should be treated at your ER as soon as possible.

During these uncertain times, it’s easy to get worried about the “what ifs?” However, you can rest assured that your dentist is here to help when you need it most in a completely sterile and comfortable environment.

About the Practice

At Ellicott City Smiles, we have a highly skilled general dentist and a Board-Certified Periodontist who work together to treat a variety of dental emergencies. While Dr. Reza Modarres and Dr. Navpreet Kaur Khatra have closed their doors in compliance with Ellicott City, they are still ready and available for emergency treatments. If you have any questions about dental emergencies, they can be reached through their website or by phone at (410) 465-3224.