Emergency Dentistry

Dental Emergency Guide

Any dental emergency like an injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment down the road. Here’s a quick summary of what to do for some common dental problems...

For an injured, slightly loose tooth, eat soft foods and avoid chewing with the tooth for several days while it tightens on its own, put sugarfree gum wadded up in between teeth on opposite side of loose tooth to keep from biting down. Brush and floss atleast twice a day.

You may feel a pimple-like swelling on your gum from the infection. For pain, try rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater several times a day. If OTC pain pills do not help then schedule a visit for antibiotics to relieve the pain. Abcesses do no get better on their own. Root canals, and sometimes extraction is necessary. Call A.S.A.P.

As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarfree gum into the cavity (sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use over-the-counter dental cement. Call our office as soon as possible

Place a clean folded piece of gauze or paper towel over the site. Ask the child to bite down on the piece of gauze or paper towel for 15 minutes. Repeat if necessary.

If the crown falls off, make an appointment to come in A.S.A.P. and bring the crown with you. For pain, apply clove oil to the sensitive area. If possible, slip the crown back on the tooth. Coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Do not use super glue!

Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water. If there’s bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. Call our office as soon as possible.

First brush, floss & rinse with mouthwash. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to your cheek. Never use heat, if the tooth is infected, the heat will cause the infection to spread. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. Call our office A.S.A.P..

For pain and swelling: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day. To prevent a sharp edge from cutting your tongue or mouth, cover the broken tooth with a piece of sugar-free chewing gum. When eating, stick to soft foods and avoid using your broken tooth to chew. You should call our office A.S.A.P. to save the tooth.

Retrieve and rinse the tooth root with water if it is dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. If it is not possible to reinsert the tooth, place it in milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt. Call A.S.A.P. Teeth may be saved if put back in socket wihin 1 hour.