Dental accidents can happen at any time and knowing how to deal with them can help you save a tooth. Although dental emergencies do not always involve pain, dealing with them in time is crucial. Toothaches, lost fillings or crowns, knocked out teeth and objects between your teeth are common conditions that require emergency dental care. Of course, there are cases when immediate dental care is not needed. Read on to learn when you should contact your emergency dentist including tips on how to deal with different dental emergencies.
Toothache – Toothache can be caused by a number of issues. To help fight the infection, rinse your mouth with warm water and salt. To relieve pain, most people would place aspirin and whiskey on the gum of the tooth that hurts. This indeed works, but it is not recommended by dentists, because aspirin is acidic and can burn your gum tissue if left for longer. Your best option is to swallow the aspirin and wait for it to work its magic.
Broken or Cracked Tooth – Rinse your mouth with warm water and salt to clean and disinfect the area. Then apply a cold compress outside the broken tooth to reduce swelling. Next, call your emergency dentist and visit him/her as soon as you can.
Knocked Out Tooth – Best is to try to ignore the pain and act quickly. First, put the knocked out tooth in cold milk or salted water. Within 30 minutes of the injury, visit your emergency dentist and take your knocked out tooth with you. The sooner you get to your emergency dentist, the greater the chances are of having the tooth back in your mouth.
Lost Fillings or Crowns – If a filling or crown has fallen out, put it in a safe place and contact your emergency dentist immediately. You can use a dental cement or a sugarless gum to fill the gap of the lost filling or crown and prevent pain.
Objects Between Teeth – When an object gets stuck between your teeth, use a dental floss to remove it. Gently and slowly try to dislodge the object. In case you can’t, call your emergency dentist. Do not try to remove the object using metal, sharp or other inappropriate tool, as you may damage your teeth.
Remember for any of the above mentioned dental emergencies, the first step is to contact an emergency dentist. If not treated quickly and properly, some dental emergencies can lead to permanent tooth, gum or mouth damage. The sooner you deal with your dental emergency, the better your chances are to fully recover your teeth.
