Emergency Dental Care
Quick, Easy Solutions for Dental Dilemmas
When an accident happens and leads to a dental emergency, it is essential to know how to take action immediately.
Did you know there are numerous at-home remedies that can be useful while waiting to see a dentist? Below, we have singled out different situations and their solutions to give you the best ways to handle each!
Types of Dental Emergencies
Knocked-Out Permanent (Adult) Tooth
When an adult tooth is knocked out of your mouth, our primary goal is to get it back in the gums within 30 minutes. So, take the following steps and start making your way to our office as soon as an incident occurs.
- Find and retrieve the tooth, but make sure not to touch its roots.
- Do not clean the tooth, as this will kill the living cells needed for reattachment. However, if it falls in dirt or mud, you can lightly rinse the tooth with water.
- The best way to preserve the tooth is the place it back in the socket where it was before. If this cannot be done:
- You can place the tooth inside your mouth between your cheek and gumline or under your tongue.
- For those who fear they may accidentally swallow the tooth, you can place the tooth in milk.
- After taking these measures, head to our office immediately.
Cracked or Broken Tooth
The first step after breaking/cracking a tooth is cleaning the mouth to remove potentially harmful bacteria and particles that could enter the tooth. You should use only warm water to rinse your mouth thoroughly. Then, if you have significant swelling in your face, you can apply cold compresses to bring it down.
Harsh Bite to the Tongue/Lip
Like caring for a cracked or broken tooth, tending to a significant bite to the tongue or lip focuses on proper cleaning. Again, you will want to use water and gentle cleansing to ensure no harmful substances remain in or near the injury. Then, you should apply cold compresses to help slow bleeding and lower swelling.
Objects Lodged in Teeth
When food or other objects get stuck in your teeth, the main goal is to remove them. We suggest using dental floss to try and gently remove whatever is lodged. However, if you need more than floss, wait until you are at our office for assistance. Never use any sharp items to remove something from your mouth.