While it isn’t always obvious at first glance, orthodontic emergencies can be quite serious. While a dental emergency can be a terrifying experience, with the right tools, knowledge, and a quick call to your dental doctor, you can help save your teeth.
Your dental doctor at Heroes Dental is here to provide you with the information you need in case of an emergency.
How To Handle Dental Emergencies
Dental emergency care is a stopgap until you can get to your dental doctor. Having a stocked dental first aid kit can make this easier since you’ll have the tools available. Here are a few possible emergencies and what to do.
Chipped or Broken Tooth
Sometimes you can break a tooth because of a fall, biting into a hard food, or suffering an injury while playing sports.
If you can find any pieces of your tooth, place them in milk and head to your dentist to get dental emergency care. Even if you can’t find the pieces or the tooth is just cracked, you still need care.
Filling Fell Out
A filling falling out can make eating difficult or painful and also puts your teeth at risk for more harm. Try to get your filling replaced ASAP by visiting your dentist so they can find the best treatment for you.
Losing a Tooth
Losing a tooth can happen for a lot of reasons, but the best thing to do is act fast. Find the tooth if you can and make sure you hold it by the crown, not the root. You can clean off any debris but don’t remove any tissue since this can help in the healing process.
You will need to obtain dental emergency care within 30 minutes to save the tooth. Adults who have lost a tooth can put it back in the socket. If that isn’t possible, put the tooth in milk, a tooth-saving solution, or saliva while you head straight to your dental doctor.
Heavy or Uncontrolled Bleeding
If you’ve suffered a severe injury and cannot stop bleeding in your mouth, you’ll want to head to the emergency room to seek out medical treatment. You can use pressure or a cold compress to help slow bleeding and numb some of the pain.
Infections
Oral infections can cause serious health issues including swelling that can cut off airways. Infections can also spread and cause life-threatening sepsis. Seek out emergency care immediately if you are dealing with any type of infection.
Dry Socket
If you’ve had a tooth removed, you were likely warned about dry sockets. A dry socket can cause intense pain and generally requires treatment to bring relief. You can try taking over-the-counter pain relievers or rinsing with salt water to help the pain until you can see your dental doctor for help.
Severe Tooth Pain
While not all toothaches need dental emergency care, severe pain should still be checked ASAP. Give your dental doctor a call and see what they recommend. Until then, cold compresses and over-the-counter pain relievers can provide some relief.
Dental Devices With Loose Wires
Sometimes wires break. The best thing to do is to let your dentist help fix the damage or replace the broken pieces. Until then, you can use dental wax to cover the broken end or use a cotton swab to push the wire so it lays against your teeth rather than cutting into your gums or cheek.
If you have a cut or sore from broken or loose wires, you can care for it like any other mouth injury. Rinse with warm salt water, avoid spicy and acidic foods, use a topical oral anesthetic, and try to eat cold foods to help numb the area.
How To Get Dental Emergency Care Fast
Whether you’re out of town or just need care, it can sometimes be tough to get the help you need. The best thing to do is figure out if you have a dental emergency by contacting your regular dentist. Ideally, they may be able to provide you with help but in some instances, you may need to find an emergency dentist.
If you have insurance, they will be your best source for finding the right provider. If you can’t find a location near you, you can also try the local urgent care or emergency room. This is particularly good for urgent issues like uncontrolled bleeding, abscesses, severe infections, or swelling that is cutting off your airway.
Let a Heroes Dental Dentist Help You Get the Dental Emergency Care You Need
Do you need dental emergency care? Don’t be afraid, Heroes Dental is here to be the hero you need. We can help you determine if you have an emergency and get you scheduled to get checked out. Don’t wait, get your appointment scheduled today!