How To Deal With a Dental Emergency
Have you ever needed urgent dental care from a dentist near you? Whatever the situation was, it must have counted for a dental emergency. At some point in life, accidents are bound to happen to everyone. They are not expected or hoped for, but they happen and we all have to deal with them. When they involve our teeth, mouth, and gums, we may need urgent dental care at Tarpon Shores Dental. In this article, we will describe how to quickly deal with dental emergencies before seeing an emergency dentist in Englewood, 34223. Let us see what constitutes a dental emergency first.
A dental emergency can come in form of extreme pain in your mouth or excessive bleeding from your gums. It could also be a displaced tooth within the gums or one that is knocked out of one’s mouth. Several other scenarios also count for dental emergencies as you will discover soon. When they happen, they should never be taken lightly. They require immediate attention and failure to act immediately can result in grievous complications including death.
What To Do When Dental Emergencies Happen
We will start with toothaches. Pain from a toothache can hurt so bad that you want to see Dr. Amy Valenti ASAP. What can you do before then? Rinse your mouth with warm water first. If there is any food lodged in between your teeth, dental floss will handle that part of things. Next, get a cold compress to apply to the side of your mouth or cheek, directly over the site of toothache. Do not attempt to put aspirin or any painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth. This can burn the gum tissue and cause further problems. Do see a dentist near you for further treatment.
If you have chipped or broken teeth, save any piece you can retrieve. Next, rinse the mouth and any broken pieces using warm water. Use gauze to apply pressure on any site of bleeding for 10 minutes or as long as it takes for bleeding to stop. You should also apply a cold compress to the area of the mouth next to the chipped tooth to relieve any swelling and pain. If the tooth is knocked out, it is a whole different approach.
Pick up a knocked-out tooth by the crown (the same part that is exposed when the tooth is in the mouth) and rinse off the roots if dirty. Do not try to scrub or wash. If you can, put the tooth back in place in the right position. However, do not force it into its socket. If it cannot go in, put the tooth in a small container of milk or a cup of water with a pinch of salt. See your dentist within the hour or else the tooth can die off. If the tooth is only partially dislodged, do not touch it. To relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the affected area. An OTC pain reliever can help too.
If an object is caught between your teeth and is causing you discomfort, gently use dental floss to get it off. Do not use a pin or any sharp object that can hurt your gums or teeth. If you have lost a filling, stick sugarless gum into the cavity. An over-the-counter dental cement works fine too. See your dentist ASAP. With a lost crown, is best to get to your dentist right away. If this is not possible, buy some clove oil at your local pharmacy and apply it to the affected area. If you can slip the crown back over the tooth, coat its inner surface with dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive. Never use super glue!
Handling Other Dental Emergencies
Is your brace damaged with a wire or band sticking out? Try to use the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into a position that doesn’t harm your cheek, tongue, or gum. If this doesn’t work, cover the sharp end with a small cotton ball or piece of gauze till you see your dentist.
None of these things discussed is a substitute for professional dental care by your emergency dentist. See them as soon as you can for dental emergencies