Toothaches or dental accidents can be very bothersome and painful especially when there is no professional to advise you during public holidays, vacations, or in the middle of the night. The pain that comes with your toothache can vary. Some experience mild discomfort while others go through unbearable pain depending on what the cause of the pain is. This pain can be caused by gum disease, jaw joint problem, exposure of the root canal, or an infection. Urgent attention is needed if you are feeling abnormal pain that shoots up from your teeth to your eye or near your ears. The wisest decision in this circumstance of a toothache or a dental accident, is to contact a dentist immediately, or in the case of public holidays and such, look for an emergency dental clinic. 

Top Issues That Would Require Emergency Dental Services

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Some dental emergencies such as toothaches can be solved at a typical dental clinic. However, some dental emergencies require urgent attention. So what are instances of these urgent situations? 

Fractured or Broken Tooth

Teeth are very strong, but it is possible for them to fracture or even break. This can happen in a number of ways such as: 

• Biting down on something hard
• Being hit in the face or mouth
• Falling/Trauma
• Having cavities that weaken the tooth
• Having large, old amalgam fillings that do not  support the remaining enamel of the tooth

Trauma on the mouth area can often lead to painful fractures in your tooth or break it all together. Accidental injury or trauma that caused the fracture or break can lead to unbearable pain or discomfort. In most cases, such incidents would happen to sports athletes or children from taking playtime too far. Fractures can be solved with crowning or filling the tooth. In instances where the pain is involved, dentists would perform root canal therapy.
In the case of a broken tooth, be sure to visit the dentist right away so they can figure out if the tooth’s nerve is in danger. A damaged nerve usually will require root canal treatment. Before you go for your visit to the dentist, here are some things you can do when you have a broken tooth:

• Thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water
• Apply pressure with a piece of gauze on any bleeding areas for around 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. You may also use a tea bag to put pressure on the area to stop the bleeding.
• Apply a cold pack to the cheek or lips over the broken tooth. This will help reduce swelling and relieve pain
• Cover your tooth with dental cement if you are unable to reach your dentist right away. Dental cement is typically sold in pharmacies.
• Take an over-the-counter pain medication.

Lost or Broken Crown

Breaking the crown on your teeth is not a rare occasion. Most of us expect to have our dental crown last for a decade or more but accidents can happen and the crown can break. The first thing to do after breaking or losing a crown is to inspect the area. Failing to take immediate care of the breakage can result in serious dental problems. Here are some instances of when you would need to go for an emergency visit to your dentist: 

• If the crown or underlying tooth has a jagged edge or angle that can injure your tongue or inner cheek
• You are experiencing unbearable pain
• The crown is dangling or can be a choking hazard
• You are unable to entirely remove the crown

Dental Decay

Dental decay may happen when the tooth’s enamel and dentine softens due to an acid attack from the consumption of sugary foods and drinks. After some time, this acid will create a cavity on the tooth. It may take a while before you feel pain on a decaying tooth. Trying to ignore that discomfort may worsen the decay and cause serious problems such as swelling, unbearable pain, and abscesses. Dental decays can be solved through a root canal treatment.

There are 5 stages to a tooth decay: 

• Stage 1
  This stage is called the initial demineralization. At this stage, the enamel will lose minerals and a white spot can be seen as an indication of the beginning of a tooth decay. 
• Stage 2
  In the instance where the first stage goes unnoticed and untreated, the enamel will further break down and result in cavities forming on your teeth.
• Stage 3
  This stage is referred to as the dentin decay stage. Following enamel decay in the second stage, the dentin which is the tissue that is under the enamel will start to decay as well once the enamel is stripped down. It is a much softer tissue compared to the enamel which makes it decay easier and faster. 
• Stage 4
  After going through the dentin, the decay would then reach the pulp of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves and blood vessels that maintain the health of your tooth. You may begin to feel and notice swelling near the infected tooth. The pressure from this swelling will cause some level of pain, sometimes unbearable.
• Stage 5
  At this stage, the decay that has reached the pulp would cause an infection. This can lead to the formation of abscess. At this point symptoms such as swelling of the gums, face or jaw, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in your neck may be present. You may experience severe pain at this stage and would need an emergency visit to your dentist.
  

Infection

Also known as abscess, an oral infection can trigger severely painful toothaches. Getting an emergency X-ray or CT scan to identify the root problem is important. In some cases, a root canal can do the trick, however some situations may call for a total extraction if the tooth is unable to be saved. If you are unable to reach your dentist when you notice symptoms of abscess, you are advised to go to an emergency room. In severe cases, you may also experience difficulty breathing if the infection has spread to your jaw and other areas. Taking good care of your dental hygiene is a huge part of avoiding infections or abscess. Brushing and flossing regularly each day and going for your biannual dental visits would do a tremendous job at keeping you out of the dental emergency room for an infection. 

Knocked Out or Lost of Teeth 

If you experience a hit to your mouth or teeth, one or two teeth may be knocked loose, look crooked or some damage to the root might have occurred, although unnoticed. You may feel some pain, tenderness, or bleeding. In the case where you get your tooth or teeth knocked out, you must immediately visit the emergency dental room. The time of your reaction would make or break your tooth’s chances of survival. In other cases, your tooth or teeth may have been pushed into your jaw which is extremely crucial for an emergency dental visit within a few hours. Give Dental Essence clinic a call immediately so we can assist you the best we could in this situation. Do not leave it untreated, as the situation may worsen. 

Lost or Loose Fillings

Dental fillings are not meant to last forever. Although, with some force they may come loose or get lost. Loosing or having loose fillings is typical but the pain can be unbearable, hence requiring dental treatment immediately. If said filling is not  given immediate attention and replaced, the unprotected tooth may be damaged.
Bacteria and food particles can enter the empty space which would cause decay. As we mentioned, decay can lead to detrimental effects on our dental and overall health, left untreated. Give us a call immediately to prevent such dental problems from occurring. 

Where Can You Find a 24/7 Dental Clinic in Singapore? 

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Although Dental Essence does not operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we do treat emergency injuries during our opening hours. Do contact us if you are facing a dental emergency, we will be here, ready to provide you with the help you need. 

Call us at

Tel: 6733 9433
Whatsapp: 8322 3982

Address

127 Tanglin Road, Tudor Court, Singapore 247922

Dental Essence Opening Hours

Monday-Friday: 9am – 6pm

Saturday: 9am – 1pm

Sunday: Closed

Public Holiday: Closed

Email
[email protected]

How Much Do Dental Emergencies Cost in Singapore? 

The current Emergency Department attendance fee is approximately $121 per visit (Source: National Dental Centre Singapore). This cost will cover basic investigations and services. Emergency dental procedures will involve extra cost and additional charges. 

For private dental clinics in Singapore, the price may vary. Therefore, there is no standard price for each dental emergency or procedure. Payments to either of these choices can be done by cash, credit card, debit card, or personal cheque depending on the clinic you visit and the time of your visit.