Dental Office Emergency Cases

An emergency is a medical situation that calls for immediate attention as they can be potentially life-threatening. Although not as common, dental office emergency cases do occur and Barkley Street Dental Clinic practitioners are equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle these potentially fatal incidences.

Here is a list of the common dental office emergency cases.

·Mild allergies

These are reactions to a substance which the patient has been exposed to and are usually confined to a specific organ. An anti-histamine drug can be administered to reduce the effects of the allergy.

·Airway obstruction

The patient may choke on their tongue or a foreign object might slip down their throat causing them to choke. If the patient is conscious, they might hold their neck and gasp because they are unable to breathe. If the patient is conscious, they should be forced to cough forcefully and continuously in order to dispel the object. Lower chest thrusts might also be tried on the patient. If they are unconscious, CPR should be administered, put an oxygen mask on them and quickly transfer them to a hospital.

·Asthmatic attacks

These are characterized by the tightness of the chest, whizzing and gasping for breath. Keep the patient calm, sit them upright and ask them to inhale two puffs from their inhaler or use a nebulizer for patients who can’t inhale.

·Syncope

It’s the sudden loss of consciousness with spontaneous recovery. It is usually brought on by pain or fear or emotion. The patient should be reassured until their heart rate and blood pressure return to normal. If their pulse is weak, CPR should be administered immediately. The patient can also be given some sugar lumps of intravenous sterile glucose in the case of he/she is hypoglycemic.

·Seizures

In case of seizures, the dentist should remove all instruments from the patient’s mouth, clear the airway, and loosen their clothing to enable them to breathe easier. If the patient is unconscious, they should be put in the supine position, head tilted and chin lifted.

It is always important to give the dentist your medical history, inform them of any pre-existing conditions or allergies so that they can prepare adequately.