What to do in a Dental Emergency

Posted by Colleen Fanning on Aug 1, 2012 in frontpage | Comments Off on What to do in a Dental Emergency

A dental emergency is like any other medical emergency and should not be ignored. Oftentimes, people are not sure how to handle a dental emergency, so they put off treatment. Doing this can increase the severity of the problem. Below is a brief overview of the most common dental emergencies and how to handle each.

• Toothache: Toothaches usually refer to pain around the teeth or jaw, usually resulting from a dental condition. Rinse your mouth with warm water, and try flossing to remove any debris that may be aggravating the pain. Do not put pain killers such as aspirin directly on the gum, because it can burn the gum tissue. The severity of the toothache can range from mild to severe and excruciating. A thorough dental examination will determine the cause. You should seek dental care as soon as possible.

• Broken tooth: If your tooth breaks, you need to contact a dentist immediately. Clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water and apply a cold compress to minimize swelling; then go to an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

• Knocked out tooth: First, retrieve the knocked out tooth. Hold it by the crown and gently rinse off the tooth root with water if needed. Do not remove any attached tissue or fragments. Try to put the tooth back in place, by returning it to the socket (making sure it is facing the right way). Do not force it into the socket. If it is not possible to get it into the socket, put it in a small, clean container of milk or water with a pinch of salt. See a dentist as soon as possible and be sure to bring the tooth with you. You will have the highest chance of saving the tooth by seeing a dentist within an hour of it being knocked out.

• Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth: See your dentist right away. Take an over the counter pain reliever and apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth to relieve the pain until you get to the dentist office.

• Lost crown: Make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible and bring the lost crown with you. Although rarely an emergency, losing a filling or a crown can be extremely painful because of the exposed tooth tissue. Apply clove oil to the exposed area with a cotton swab to alleviate pain.

• Abscess: A tooth abscess is a serious infections that occur around the root of the tooth or in between the tooth and the gum and resemble a pimple-like swelling on your gum that is usually painful. If not treated promptly, the infection can spread. See your dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution a few times a day.

Sometimes a dental emergency will require immediate action while other times the dental emergency can wait until a scheduled visit. To be safe, always call your dentist to find out the best course of action to take if you find yourself in a dental emergency.