| |
EMERGENCY TIPS
Emergency Dental Care
If you experience tooth pain or discomfort, please contact our office to make arrangements to be seen. Don’t postpone treatment. “Twinges” of tooth pain or toothaches that subside and reoccur can be misleading – any dental pain is an indication of an underlying problem and can lead to serious infection if it is not addressed promptly.
In the event of an injury from a traumatic blow to the teeth or jaw, contact our office right away or go to the nearest emergency room for immediate care.
Preventing Dental Injuries and Emergencies.
Dental trauma injuries can be reduced or prevented through the use of mouth guards for sports and car seats for
young children and seatbelts for older children and adults.
Please do not hesitate to Contact Us regarding any concerns that you may have about your dental health.
Download our printable version of our Instructions for Dental Emergencies for your First Aid kit.
First Aid for Dental Emergencies
Permanent tooth knocked out - If a permanent tooth is knocked out, speed in response is important:
- Find the tooth and rinse it gently in cool water – do not scrub the tooth or use soap or other chemicals. Try to hold it by the crown and not the root tip.
- If possible, try to place the tooth back in the socket and hold it in place with clean gauze or wash cloth, or, tuck it into the cheek. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a clean container and moisten it with saliva, milk, or water.
- Call our office immediately – a quick response can sometimes save the tooth!
Fractured or Chipped Tooth – Try to save the tooth fragment.
- Rinse gently with warm water to remove any debris and help ease discomfort.
- Apply a cold compress to minimize swelling.
- Call our office immediately.
Toothache - Call our office immediately.
- Apply a cold compress – do not apply heat or aspirin.
- You may want to take an over-the counter pain reliever until your appointment. Do not take aspirin; it is an anticoagulant and can cause excessive bleeding in a dental emergency.
- If swelling or an abscess is present, this is a serious infection. If after-hours, go to the nearest emergency room for immediate care.
Blow to head or Jaw Fracture - Go immediately to the emergency room; head injuries can be life-threatening.
|
|
|