Most dental emergencies treated by oral health professionals are of relatively common varieties such as toothaches, dislodged teeth, and severe cracks. While these issues certainly deserve an emergency dentist’s utmost attention, there are also cases that are especially strange or extreme. Here’s a brief guide to some of the weirdest dental emergencies ever encountered to help you appreciate the necessity of excellent oral care.
Parasites Bite
Acid-excreting oral bacteria are a constant menace to your teeth and oral health, but there are some cases where a smile is attacked by much larger and more startling organisms. For example, one boy who had never had a professional dental cleaning came to a dentist’s office with severe pain and swelling in his gums. While gum inflammation is a common oral health problem, this dentist was quite surprised to find a crop of maggots infesting the poor child’s gums. You might want to remember this the next time you’re tempted to skip flossing.
DIY Drilling Is a Recipe for Dental Destruction
Dental drills are useful tools that allow dentists to remove infected enamel and reshape troublesome pearly whites. These devices are specially designed to treat human teeth, and they incorporate diamonds in their bits to ensure their efficient function and water jets to prevent overheating. Your run-of-the-mill power drill has neither of these features, but one uninformed gentleman once succeeded in embedding a drill bit into his tooth while attempting to treat tooth decay on his own. Please leave all dental drilling to your dentist.
Don’t Put Super Glue in Your Mouth
Super glue is a marvelous tool that can provide a durable quick fix, but it isn’t intended for use in the human mouth. Unfortunately, some individual who was evidently frustrated with the limitations of traditional denture adhesive attempted to use this material to secure his restorations to his gums. This, of course, made the appliance difficult to remove and set this fellow up for severe oral infections, and he had to see his emergency dentist to have the appliance removed and the resulting damage addressed.
Luckily, you can avoid all these bizarre dental emergencies by practicing excellent hygiene, seeing your dentist regularly for checkups, and following your provider’s oral healthcare instructions. Keeping your teeth healthy will help you keep your smile comfortable and beautiful for life.
About the Author
Dr. Justin Geller earned his dental degree at the University of Detroit and remains committed to furthering his skillset through continuing education coursework. He has completed courses through Force Orthodontics, the Midwest Implant Institute, and the Clinical Mastery Series. His office in Novi offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To prevent dental disasters, schedule your next checkup by contacting his office online or dialing (248) 926-4030.