What To Do In A Dental Emergency

Martindale Dental provides assitance during dental emergencies , which unfortunately happen quite often. It’s not uncommon to have  a mishap where a front tooth was knocked out and dental care is required. The most common dental emergencies that we handle are toothaches, chipped and broken teeth, something wedged between the teeth, or a lost filling. Chipped or broken teeth and sever tooth pain are the most common reasons for emergency calls to the dentist.
Typical when you have a dental emergency the first thing you should do is find a local dentist that can help you with your dental emergency.  Dental emergencies are not uncommon and include a number of different injuries of varying severity.  If your dental injury is severe, it’s important to seek immediate treatment.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency here are some tips:

• If you are experiencing throbbing pain, ease the pain with over the counter medication such as Tylenol or Advil.
• Hold an ice pack against your face or on the sore tooth.
• Never use heat because heat will intensify the pain.
• Never ignore tooth pain because it may lead to more serious problems if not handled right away.
• If your tooth is knocked out, place the tooth in distilled water, contact solution, or milk to preserve the tissue surrounding the root.
• If a tooth is knocked out, you need to get to a dentist immediately so that it can be replanted if possible.

Common dental emergencies:

First aid for dental emergencies

When an accident occurs it’s important to stay calm and analyze the situation. Try to gauge the severity of the injury. Can the injury be treated at home, or is visiting a dentist or doctor or even the emergency room at the nearest hospital the best solution. Often once the immediate injury has been taken care of, dental work is still required.

Jaw area swelling

If your face is swollen but no external trauma has occurred, you most likely have an infection. Teeth and gums can get infected, which can develop into an abscess that requires professional attention. For this type of dental emergency, it is recommended to contact a dentist or other health professional. Temporary

Damaged crown, bridge or veneer

Sometimes an existing dental repair can break, become loose or even fall out completely. If this happens it’s important to keep the damaged implant because your dentist may be able to re-attach it. If a repair isn’t possible, there are typically a temporary option available. You can get in touch with your dentists office for further advice on how to get the implant repaired or replaced.

Damaged dentures

Broken dentures are common, and while not always painful, not having a set of teeth can have some real repercussions. Patients are advised not to attempt homemade repairs because this could cause further harm to the denture, and might even be dangerous. Get in touch with your dental provider and get it repaired properly.

Knocked out tooth and other impact trauma

Getting hit in the face can result in an injury like a knocked out tooth, or a fracture. In the case of a knocked out tooth, you should try to locate the tooth. Rinse it off to remove dirt while being careful not to touch the root of the tooth. A knocked out tooth can sometimes be replanted if professional care is administered within 30 minutes of the injury occurring. Patients may also attempt to replant the tooth themselves if it is easy to do so. If heading to your dentist or an emergency room, keeping the tooth in a glass of cold milk can help.

Lacerations

Sometimes it’s not a knocked-out tooth, but rather a puncture wound, tear or laceration. In this situation, the trauma is often more serious and a visit to the emergency room is a good idea. For first aid treatment, stopping the bleeding is first thing. This can usually be achieved by applying pressure with a gauze pad or other sterile, soft and absorbent material. Over the counter pain medication may also be taken to help with comfort. Always make sure to follow dosing instructions included on the package.