{"id":1808,"date":"2020-05-14T13:10:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T17:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog-2020.opencare.com\/?p=1808"},"modified":"2021-02-23T11:56:34","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T16:56:34","slug":"ultimate-guide-to-dental-emergencies-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opencare.com\/blog\/ultimate-guide-to-dental-emergencies-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Dental emergencies during COVID-19: Your ultimate guide."},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n
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What defines a dental emergency and when should you go to the dentist during COVID-19? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

by Samie Durnford and Dr. Natalie Archer, DDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With many dental offices around the continent only open for dental emergencies during COVID-19<\/a>, you may be left with many questions. When can I go? Is it even safe? And how do you maintain social distance at the dentist\u2019s office anyway? Luckily, dentists across the nation<\/a> are ready to support patients during this time, and we have compiled the best advice for seeking help if you have a dental emergency.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dentistry is considered an essential service. And while you won\u2019t be able to go get your teeth whitened or a regular cleaning, you absolutely can see a dentist if you\u2019re experiencing an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What defines a dental emergency?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A dental emergency is anything that is causing immediate and unavoidable pain or discomfort. If you\u2019re experiencing pain that can\u2019t be helped by medications (like ibuprofen) or antibiotics, it\u2019s time to call your dentist. Dental practices that are open for emergencies will take your information over the phone and work with you to decide if you require a visit or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While unavoidable pain is a common sign of a dental emergency, dental offices in different areas of the country may define emergencies differently. If you\u2019re unsure if you have a dental emergency, call a local dentist office that\u2019s accepting emergency appointments to get screened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tele-dentistry has allowed dental practices to quickly adapt to social distancing safety protocols. Now, you can call your dentist to do an over-the-phone screening where they will walk you through your dental history, and identify on your charts where the pain might be stemming from. If you\u2019re able to chat with your regular dentist, they\u2019ll be able to examine notes from your past visits to help diagnose what the problem might be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common dental emergencies are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n