Immediately after suffering serious dental trauma, there are actions you should take to preserve your dental health even before seeking emergency attention. In the same manner, there are things you should not do. Pay attention to the following:
Toothache
A toothache can be caused by many things, including food caught between teeth. If you are experiencing mild toothache and you suspect it is caused by food particles between your teeth, flossing can help. You can also try rinsing out your mouth with warm water to soften up the food particles and shake them loose.
If the pain does not subside or if you are experiencing much more severe pain, schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist for quick relief. If the pain is caused by a cavity, our dentist can work to restore the tooth using a filling or crown.
A broken, cracked, or chipped tooth
Although it often sounds like a minimal event, having a broken, cracked or chipped tooth can be a painful experience. But it is necessary to be extra careful here as you may lose even more of your tooth if you act rashly. The first thing you should do is rinse your mouth with cold water, then apply a cold compress to the side of your face, to help reduce the pain.
Do not try chewing anything while you are in this condition. You may end up damaging the tooth more. Also, do not put crushed aspirin on your tooth to help with the pain. Apart from the fact that it doesn’t work, you may damage your gums and enamel by doing this.
Gum abscess
An abscess is a swelling on your gum that may feel tender and may often be very painful. On no account should you try to pop a gum abscess like a pimple. You should immediately schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist to safely drain the abscess.
The extent of the infection will determine if you need scaling and root planning or even total extraction of the tooth. Do not assume it will go away on its own. If it bursts in your mouth without proper attention, it may only complicate your oral health further.
Knocked out tooth
There are many events that may cause a knocked-out tooth, and most of them involve significant pain and trauma. If you intend to save your tooth, the first thing you should do is call our office. Saving your tooth will depend on how fast you can receive emergency dental care.
You also need to handle to tooth extra carefully. Pick it up by the crown (the part you chew with), gently rinse it, and try placing it back in your mouth. If it doesn’t stay put, take it out and wrap it in clean gauze then submerge it in milk or saliva to keep it moist. If you don’t, the tooth will dry out and crack.
Loose tooth
There are similarly many things that may cause your tooth to become loose. This may be due to prior tooth loss, receding gums, or bone loss in your jaw. If you are experiencing a loose tooth, don’t apply any force on it or try to chew with it. Contact our office immediately so our emergency dentist can examine you and advise on how to save your tooth.