Because you can never tell when a dental emergency will occur, it is wise to stay prepared. Keep reading on below to familiarise yourself with some common types of dental emergencies and how they can be dealt with before seeing an emergency dentist for treatment.
This is a dental emergency that arises when teeth are completely knocked out of their socket. This can happen due to trauma caused to a tooth when you've been hit or knocked in the mouth. For you to save a knocked-out tooth, it is imperative that you act promptly, as you will need to get the tooth back into its socket within the shortest time possible.
The first thing you will need to do is to locate the avulsed tooth. When you find it, pick it up by the crown so that you do not touch and damage the roots. If the avulsed tooth is dirty, wash it with clean, tepid water. If you are bleeding from the mouth, you can stop the bleeding by putting some cotton gauze or a dry washcloth on the affected area and applying gentle pressure on it. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can put the knocked-out tooth back into its socket, and then see your dentist as soon as possible.
If you chip or fracture a tooth, you should find the broken part and rinse it with warm water. Once it is clean, put it in a saline solution or some milk so that it won't get warped. If you're bleeding, you'll need to stop it — you can do so by applying gentle pressure on the bleeding area with cotton gauze. If the affected area is swollen, gently pressing against it with a cold compress can help reduce the swelling. Visit your emergency dentist as soon as you are done doing this.
A severe toothache resulting from dental cavities and infections can make it difficult for you to sleep well or to go about your everyday activities. To relieve the pain, you will need to gargle with warm water and then gently brush your teeth to remove any food particles that may be trapped in your mouth. If the toothache is accompanied by swelling, you can apply a cold compress against the affected area to help reduce the inflammation. Avoid using topical painkillers to relieve the pain, as they may only aggravate the situation. Instead, see your dentist as soon as possible.
Now that you know what to do if you encounter these dental emergencies, you don't have to get into panic mode when you face any of them.