Unfortunately, a dental emergency can occur when you least expect it. You want to remain calm and take a few actionable steps during this time. Any type of emergency can be troubling. Getting the correct dental help is crucial to prevent permanent injuries or tooth loss. Let’s look at the three things to do in an emergency dental situation.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
An injury to the teeth or gums is considered a dental emergency. However, prolonged tooth pain or abscesses fall into this category. All of these issues can be potentially serious. You should never ignore these problems. Doing that can increase the risk of permanent damage and require extensive treatments in the future.
Some common dental emergencies include:
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Toothaches
- Knocked-out teeth
- Partially dislodged tooth
- Lost crown or filling
- Broken braces and wires
- Soft tissue injuries
- Abscesses
With any emergency, stay calm. When you have a clear head, you can act quickly to alleviate some of the tooth pain. Here are three things to do with a dental emergency.
#1 – Call the Dentist
Call your family dentist or emergency dental provider, whether it is a toothache or missing tooth. All situations are unique. By calling the dentist, you can get the right advice that may prevent additional tooth damage. With those cases involving severe symptoms of prolonged tooth pain, you may have to visit the emergency room. You might think the injury is only minor, but a professional should examine your mouth.
Don’t ever think you are bothering or wasting the dentist’s time. Any dentist would rather you err on the side of caution rather than delay treatment.
If you cannot reach your family dentist, head to an emergency room or talk to your medical provider.
#2 – Rinse Your Mouth
When a tooth chips or cracks, it can be a scary situation for anyone. Before you start to panic, try to stay calm with this dental emergency. For a cracked tooth, immediately use warm water to rinse your mouth. In some cases, the gums and mouth may start to swell. You can take a cold compress to the area.
While you will want to rinse out the mouth, avoid using a toothbrush. The gums are tender and injured. Using a toothbrush will aggravate the area. Also, never use a finger to touch the injured area. You will only introduce germs and bacteria into the mouth. Be gentle with the affected tooth until you can reach the emergency dentist.
Toothaches are another typical dental emergency. While some people take over-the-counter pain relievers for these problems, extreme pain might require help from the dentist. Remember never to place aspirin or other medications on the tooth or gum. With that, you can actually cause gum and tooth damage.
Once again, rinse your mouth with some warm water. With a toothache, you may want to gently use dental floss to remove any food particles stuck between your teeth and gum line. Toothaches can quickly affect the whole mouth, causing extreme pain.
Broken braces and wires can cause discomfort and cut the mouth. You can try to move the wire into a more comfortable position while you head to the emergency dentist. A small piece of gauze or orthodontic wax may provide a little relief. You never want to cut the wires or remove braces from the mouth. Always follow the advice of your dentist or orthodontist to help resolve these issues.
If blood comes from the injured area, clean the mouth with water and apply a cold compress. When the bleeding does not stop, it is time to visit the emergency room.
#3 – Collect Tooth Fragments
If you can retrieve any cracked or broken tooth pieces, try to save them. In some situations, the dentist may be able to use the fragment to repair the tooth. Head to the dentist’s office as soon as possible for those knocked-out teeth. Avoid touching the root of the tooth. Handle it by the crown. If it is an adult tooth, rinse it and lightly place it in the socket. Never scrub the tooth or remove any tissues from the root.
Adults should try to hold the tooth in their cheek. However, if that is not an option, place the tooth in milk or a preservation product. Don’t place the tooth in a glass of water. Time is essential in these cases to avoid tooth damage. Those teeth replanted in an hour have an increased chance of survival.
Prevent an Emergency Dental Visit
While accidents can happen, you should take a few steps to protect your teeth. With a bit of caution, you can avoid an emergency trip to the dentist. First, don’t use your teeth to open household items like bottles. Additionally, do not chew on hard objects that can cause injuries to your teeth, including ice, hard candy, and pencils. If you play sports, always wear a mouthguard to prevent injuries to your teeth, jaw, and mouth.
Final Thoughts
When you have a dental emergency, make sure to contact your dentist. If you wait, you may lose the tooth or experience other complications. A dentist can manage those dental emergencies to get you back on the road to recovery.
A dental emergency can be frightening, but the team at Mint Condition Dental can help. When an urgent problem strikes, reach out to us. Discuss your symptoms with an emergency dentist in Colfax today!
