What to Do in a Dental Emergency
A dental emergency can occur at any time; at home, while playing sports, or even at work. Being prepared for these overwhelming and painful experiences can help save your oral health and maybe even keep your teeth.
It’s important to contact a dentist right away in any dental emergency to set up an appointment as soon as possible. While waiting for your appointment, here are tips on how to react to a few common dental emergencies and how you can care for your smile at home.
Toothaches and Pain
Many patients report on persistent, severe dental pain during their check-ups during the year, which could be due to infection or other bacteria-related issues.
If you haven’t seen the dentist in a while, pain and toothaches could be an indicator to schedule for a visit right away. Dentist can determine whether the cause of pain is an untreated cavity, a third molar emerging, or a broken or chipped tooth.
If you can’t see the dentist right away, follow these steps. Rinse your mouth with warm, clean water to remove any debris that could irritate the site of pain. Take the time to gently floss and brush your teeth, keeping in mind areas that may be more sensitive than others. Those teeth may be the source of pain. If the pain is too hard to manage, take Tylenol or another type of pain relief but continue to monitor your symptoms.
Chipped teeth
Damaging your dental enamel can be done when using your teeth to open or chew on something hard or during any high-stress event. If left untreated, the area that is chipped can allow bacteria to ender the dental chamber and infect the dental pulp that keeps the tooth alive. A chipped tooth can be painful and uncomfortable, impacting how you talk and chew.To treat a damaged tooth, dentist remove any debris and seal the broken areas with a crown to restore health and rebuild the tooth’s structure.
When this occurs at home, rinse the area with cool water. If possible, apply dental cement to the chipped area to keep it from cutting other areas of your lips. This can be bought at a local pharmacy.
Knocked out Teeth
If a tooth is knocked out but is completely intact with no debris on it, it is possible to place it back into the socket. Visiting the dentist as soon as possible greatly increases your chances of reattachment. However, if the tooth is damaged, the tooth may be lost.
To preserve a tooth that’s been completely knocked out, preserve it in milk or another over-the-counter solution till you see the dentist.
Contact our dentist today if you are experiencing a dental emergency.