Coping with Dental Emergency
When you are faced with a dental emergency, you will need to know how to cope with the situation even before you have the time to seek dental emergency care. It is important to know the basics of dental emergency so you will have an idea on what to do before you can reach someone else who can provide you with emergency dental care.
This is Dentistry will empower you with the information you need to be able to cope effectively with dental emergency situations, especially in those instances when emergency dental care is not available right away. This is Dentistry also provides you with the contact information of dentists in your local area, so you can get the dental emergency care you – or a loved one – may need whenever a dental emergency arises.
Common Dental Emergency Situations – and How to Deal with them
Here are some of the most common dental emergency situations that can happen, and tips on how you can effectively deal with each one before you can get emergency dental care.
- Toothaches – Brushing the teeth and flossing may be done to deal with this dental emergency situation, as food lodged in between the teeth may be causing the pain. You can also gargle with warm water, or use a cold compress on the outside of your mouth/cheek area if your mouth is swollen. Go to your dentist for emergency dental care in the soonest possible time.
- Knocked-Out Tooth – If possible, retrieve the tooth by the crown, and avoid touching the root part; if it is dirty, rinse with clean water but do not scrub the root part. With this dental emergency, the clean tooth should be put back into the socket if this is possible; if not, place the tooth in a small container with milk, or water with a pinch of salt. Seek emergency dental care immediately, because knocked out teeth have higher chances of being returned to the socket and saved if a dentist is seen within one hour for dental emergency care.
- Tooth Filling Lost – Plug the cavity temporarily with sugar-free chewing gum or dental cement if this is available. Seek dental emergency care right away.
- Crown Lost – Call your dentist right away if a crown falls off, and make sure that you bring the crown with you. You can also re-attach the crown temporarily with the help of denture adhesive of toothpaste for the meantime, before you get the dental emergency care you need.
- Soft Tissue Injury – This dental emergency can include the tongue, gums, lips and cheeks, and can involve bleeding. Gargle with a salt-water solution, or apply pressure on the affected area using a moistened piece of gauze. Seek emergency dental care right away, especially if the bleeding does not stop after a few minutes of applying pressure on the affected area.
