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A car accident can leave you with injuries you don’t realize until days later. It’s not uncommon to wake up sore the next day but you also must pay attention to signs of concussion, bruising, or other injuries after an accident.
Some of those injuries could be dental and not all of them are easily recognized immediately after a car crash.
Right After a Car Crash
Check to see what injuries you have before you start trying to move. Check your hands and fingers, and wiggle them to see if there is pain. Check your toes and gently try to wiggle them to see if there is leg damage. Don’t move if you have any pain, whether it’s neck, back, or leg pain. Paramedics will need to assess you and your injuries.
Assuming there are no obvious physical injuries, you should check your mouth and teeth. It’s common to have teeth damaged or knocked out in a car crash. Look to see if any areas of your mouth are bleeding.
You should see a dentist immediately after being cleared by a medical doctor if you have missing teeth or are bleeding.
It’s a good idea to seek a dentist if your mouth or jaw hit something in the crash, like the car dash or a door. There could be an injury there that you are unaware of at the moment.
People can also head their jaw, mouth, or head on a deployed airbag. Airbags are there to protect you but the jarring motion of striking it could cause muscle, gum, or jaw injury. It is a forceful impact so be aware of any soreness or sensitivity afterward and see your dentist if it hurts.
Seeing a Dentist Later
People who aren’t obviously injured in a crash may expect a few days of soreness, maybe a doctor’s visit, but often don’t think about traumatic mouth injury. Just as it may take a few days to feel all the pain of the accident in your body, mouth injuries may not show up until the next day or a couple of days later.
There are 6 good signs that you need to see a dentist after a car accident.
A tooth is cracked or damaged.
You may not have noticed a chip or crack in the tooth the day of the accident. Now, looking in the mirror, you see it. You don’t want to ignore this type of injury because the crack or chip could ruin the integrity of the tooth later.
Bonding and other similar procedures can restore your tooth to look as it did before the accident. They also provide more support and strength for your tooth so it functions well and isn’t further damaged.
You have pain.
Pain is a sure signal to see a dentist, even if you don’t see any tooth damage. Trauma can happen to facial bones or gums during the impact. Seek an exam if the pain lasts more than a few days.
Your teeth become sensitive.
Many people have sensitive teeth but if they sting or hurt when you eat or drink after a car accident, it could mean something is wrong with the nerve endings. Pay attention to how sensitive your teeth are when eating hot and cold items.
- You can’t chew or swallow like you did before the accident.
The inability to chew or swallow could be because of mouth trauma. Seeing a dentist can uncover the problem and get you treatment.
Your mouth or an area of it is swollen.
Swelling often happens when the mouth strikes something like the dash or steering wheel. Swollen lips and cheeks are a sign of more severe damage. You need to have a dentist evaluate it.
- You have bleeding.
Your mouth may have stopped bleeding after the accident so you thought everything was fine. Now, you are seeing bleeding again. This is common with broken blood vessels. It’s a symptom that requires a dentist’s attention.
The Importance of Seeing a Dentist
People tend to put off seeing a dentist after an injury because they think it’s unnecessary or they are worried about the cost. However, seeing a dentist after a car accident can prevent further damage later and cut the long-term costs of treatment.
Plus, injury care after an accident is often completely covered by insurance. There is no reason not to make sure your mouth isn’t taken care of after an accident like the rest of your body.
You need your mouth and teeth for basic nutrition so managing care after a car accident is an important part of post-care.
Our dentists are highly qualified to examine your mouth for injuries after a car accident. Call us or book an appointment today if you are experiencing pain or any of these other symptoms.
