The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Al-Amin Bhuiyan

Many types of emergencies may have to be faced by the dentist during dental procedures. Dentist must know how to recognize & manage medical emergencies - they may be rare. Their professional skill & equipment should enable them occasionally to save patient's lives. In that case patients should be quickly transferred to the hospital, but city traffic & the load on ambulance services are so heavy that the delay can be considerable. Under such circumstances, measures taken by the dentist may be critical. Dentists are also required to ensure that all members of their staff are able to provide practical assistance in these circumstances.

# Sudden loss of consciousness -

1. Fainting, due to hypotension, cerebral ischaemia, anxiety, pain, injections, fatigue, long term starvation etc.

2. acute hypoglycaemia mainly affects the diabetes patients

3. Syncope

4. Anaphylactic shock

5. cardiac arrest

6. stroke

7. myocardial infarction

8. Circulatory collapse secondary to corticosteroid therapy.

# Acute chest pain

1. Angina

2. myocardial infarction

# Difficulty in breathing

1. Asthma

2. Anaphylactic shock

# Convulsions

1. Epilepsy

2. Any cause of loss of consciousness

# Other emergencies

1. Haemorrhage- i) After tooth extraction ii) Minor oral surgery

2. Profuse bleeding due to bleeding disorders

3. Avulsed tooth

4. Extruded or intruded tooth

5. Fracture, i) Fracture of tooth ii) Fracture of jaw

6. Injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth

7. Drug reactions & interactions

8. Major maxillofacial injuries, due to accident.

# How often should you visit the dentist:

If possible, you should visit your dentist every six months for a preventive checkup. Infants should visit the dentist at about 12 months of age.

# Top six tips for managing dental emergencies: As we all know accidents can and do happen. Having a dental emergency can be very painful and scary. These tips will tell you what to do if you are ever faced with a dental emergency. If you or someone you know has a dental emergency, don't be panic. These tips will tell you what to do in case of a dental emergency.

Tips-1: Toothaches- Never take any pain killers including aspirin on the gum because it can burn the gum tissues. Clean your mouth by rinsing thoroughly with warm water, gently floss around the tooth to remove any food particles. If your tooth continues to hurt, you should contact with your dentist as soon as possible. A toothache can result from several dental problems. Regular dental checkups will help to prevent toothache.

Tips-2: Broken tooth- if your tooth breaks you should immediately contact with your dentist. You should also clean your mouth by rinsing thoroughly with warm water. Apply a cold compress to that area to minimize any swelling.

Tips-3: Possible broken jaw- when any accident occurs, if you think that your jaw might be broken, apply a cold compress to that area to minimize any swelling. You should immediately contact with your dentist or go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.

Tips-4: Knocked out tooth- if your tooth has been knocked out, rinse the tooth very gently to make sure it is clean, do not scrub the tooth or remove any tissue that is attached to it.

Be sure to place a towel or wash cloth in the sink so that it does not go down the drain. If you can, gently place the tooth back into the socket.

If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small container or cup of milk. You will need to take the tooth with you & get to your dentist immediately.

Tips-5: Bitten tongue or lip- if you have bitten your tongue or lip, gently wipe the area clean with a cloth.

Apply a cold compress to the area to minimize any swelling. If the bleeding will not stop, you should go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.

Tips-6: Something caught between your teeth- Gently insert a piece of dental floss or a dental thread (waxed)- be very care not to cut the gum tissue. If you are unable to remove the object, contact your dentist. Never use any sharp object to try & remove something that is stuck in between your teeth.