Dental disaster can strike out of nowhere, and most people don’t know what to do when it happens. How you handle dental emergencies can be the difference maker in saving your smile. Keep reading to discover the best ways to handle the most common dental emergencies from an expert emergency dentist in West Cobb.
Toothache
If you’re experiencing an aching in your tooth, rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater and use floss to dislodge any food in between your teeth. If there’s swelling, apply a cold compress to the outside of your face and take some over-the-counter pain medication.
Broken or Chipped Tooth
Find and save any pieces of the tooth and rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater. If there’s bleeding, apply pressure with gauze to the affected area until it stops. Use a cold compress to keep swelling down.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Grab your knocked-out tooth by the crown, so you don’t damage the tooth roots. Rinse it off but avoid scrubbing it. Hold it in the socket of your gums if you can, but if not, put it in a container of milk or water to keep it moist until you can see your dentist. The sooner you can get to the dentist’s office, the better chance you have of your knocked-out tooth being successfully replanted.
Partially Dislodged Tooth
If your tooth is coming loose, apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and take over-the-counter pain medication to make yourself more comfortable. Contact your emergency dentist as soon as possible to get treatment.
Lost Crown
Find the crown and bring it to your dentist as soon as possible. If the tooth hurts, use a dab of clove oil on the sensitive area. If you can, use dental cement to place the crown back on the tooth until you can see your dentist.
Lost Filling
If you lose a filling, get some orthodontic wax from your local drugstore and use it the fill the hole where your filling was. This will keep the sensitive inside part of your tooth protected from cold and hot temperatures as well as food debris.
Infection or Abscess
Infections or abscesses can cause tissue and tooth damage. If you find painful blemishes on your gums, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater to ease your discomfort and draw the pus to the surface. Contact your dentist to see what treatment you need based on the kind of infection that you have.
Now that you know what to do in the event of a dental disaster, use the above tips to keep you and your family’s teeth as safe as possible when an emergency occurs.