Dental emergencies strike without warning. Do you know what to do when one hits you? Many don’t, which is why we’d like to use today’s post to briefly explain what you should do if you find yourself facing a dental emergency. Below are some of the most common reasons patients have for seeking emergency dental care, followed by tips on how to handle them.
Knocked Out Tooth
Sometimes a knocked out tooth can be reattached if treatment happens soon enough. To increase the likelihood that your tooth can be reattached, gently clean the tooth and try to put it back in the socket it came from. If you can’t do that, store the tooth in a bag of milk. Call your local emergency dentist as soon as possible for an appointment.
Broken Tooth
As with a knocked out tooth, save as much of your broken tooth as you can and clean the area gently with water. To ease pain and swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. Call your dentist for help.
Toothache
Toothaches can be caused by a variety of things. If you have a toothache, try flossing around the tooth that hurts to see if there’s any debris lodged nearby. If you find something that looks like a pimple near the tooth that hurts, that could be a sign that you have an abscess. If left untreated, the infection from an abscess can become more serious. Call your dentist as soon as possible if your pain doesn’t go away.
Lost Crown
If you have lost a temporary or permanent crown, your first step should be to clean the crown and temporarily put it back in place with toothpaste or denture adhesive. These are just short-term fixes, though. Call your dentist as soon as possible for a reattachment appointment.
Bit Lip or Tongue
In cases where you have injured your lip or tongue, clean the area and use ice to reduce pain or swelling. If you’re experiencing serious bleeding, visit your local emergency room.
Broken Jaw
As with an injured lip or tongue, a broken jaw will require a visit to your local emergency room. If you have lost any teeth as a result of your injury, call your dentist after you have sought care for your jaw.
These are just a few of the problems that patients can face. If you’re having an emergency that is not mentioned here, or if you want to learn more about one that is, call your local emergency dentist. Seeking immediate care in any of these cases is important. Call your dentist.