FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 19, 1997
CONTACT:
Chris Martin
Jann Ingmire
DC Convention Center
202/371-4509
Chicago Office
312/440-2806
Dental Emergencies: What Should You Do?
WASHINGTON -- Your tooth hurts. It throbs. It's sensitive to hot or cold. You can't lie down or it hurts. You can't chew because it hurts. What should you do? The obvious answer is to call a dentist! The subject of dental emergencies will be discussed by a panel of dentists at the American Dental Association's (ADA) 138th Annual Session in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, October 19. The first rule for dentists is that patients in pain need to be handled with care. One member of the panel who is used to dealing with patients in pain is Clifford J. Ruddle, D.D.S., of Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Ruddle is an endodontist, a root canal specialist. "About 90 percent of my patients arrive at my office in pain. Regretfully, root canal treatment is occasionally the butt of many jokes, which contributes to greater patient apprehension, but the patients aren't laughing when they come to see me. They are usually suffering anything from a little discomfort to acute pain, but they leave my office feeling significantly better," Dr. Ruddle comments. What questions will you be asked if you have a toothache and you call a dentist?
-- How long has it hurt?
-- What makes it hurt?
-- How much does it hurt?
-- Have you been taking anything for the pain?
The dentist or the assistant will ask you those questions as a way to determine how quickly you need to be seen in the office and what type of emergency treatment will be required. When you arrive at the dentist's office, he or she will do an oral examination to see which tooth is bothering you and then diagnose the source of the pain. The dentist may also want to take x-rays to help in the diagnosis. Treatment can then begin to alleviate the pain and address the problem. Some of the main reasons for a toothache include: decay, periodontal (gum) disease or physical trauma, such as being hit in the mouth with a baseball or hockey stick. Dr. Ruddle says the common complaints associated with toothaches include that the tooth is sensitive to hot or cold liquid or foods or to sweets; there is often a throbbing pain; and sometimes there is what is called referred pain. "Referred pain means you might have a pain in your ear or in the lower jaw, but it's really caused by a tooth. Our job is to find the real source of the pain," Dr. Ruddle says. "The treatment can be virtually pain-free," Dr. Ruddle points out. "And the patient is going to feel so much better by getting the toothache taken care of by a professional instead of trying home remedies."
The dentist should explain what the patient can expect in terms of the course of treatment and post-treatment care. Follow up is also very important. The dentist must know how the patient is doing, and the patient should be sure to make a return appointment, if needed. "Our focus now is really on preserving the tooth," Dr. Ruddle says. "It used to be that if you had a toothache, you'd have that tooth extracted. Now, in most cases the pain can be resolved without removing the tooth. Dentistry is making great progress in helping people keep their teeth for a lifetime." Dr. Ruddle will be one of five panelists addressing the topic of how to handle dental emergencies. The other specialists on the panel include a pediatric dentist, a prosthodontist, an oral surgeon and a general dentist, each of whom will bring his or her own perspective on treating emergency dental patients.
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