Most oral emergencies relate to pain, bleeding, or orofacial trauma and should be attended by a dental practitioner. However, in the absence of access to dental care, a medical practitioner may be called on to help. Jaw fractures require the attention of oral or maxillofacial surgeons.

While there are numerous dental-related patient complaints and clinical diagnoses, healthcare providers must be able to recognize and treat dental emergencies in an expedited manner. Furthermore, patients with dental emergencies often present in clinical settings other than a dentist's office, making it important that non-dentist providers understand the sequelae of untreated emergencies and provide appropriate dental referrals. In the absence of definitive treatment, many dental emergencies have high morbidity and/or mortality. Most dental emergencies can be categorized into one of three main etiologies: traumatic, infectious, and post-procedural complications. Regardless of which category they belong to, the majority of untreated dental emergencies can become extremely painful, progress to deep space infections affecting the contiguous surrounding structures of the neck and facial sinuses, and/or lead to airway compromise. Identifying and treating patients with dental emergencies will help prevent these life-threatening sequela and provide symptomatic relief. This activity outlines when various dental emergencies should be considered as a differential diagnosis, explains how to evaluate these conditions, and highlights the roles of the interprofessional team in managing and improving care for patients with dental emergencies.

Guidelines for Practice Success | Managing Patients | Treatment Recommendations