When faced with a dental emergency, always call the dentist first to schedule an appointment right away, preferably the same day or next morning. If your dental emergency is causing severe bleeding, swelling, or in any way interfering with your breathing, go to the emergency room.
Until your appointment, there are some steps you can take to relieve pain and possibly even preserve your tooth.
Dislodged Tooth
If one of your teeth has come out completely, first gently rinse the tooth without removing any naturally attached fragments. Place the tooth gently back into the socket in the correct position. If this isn’t possible (while sleeping) place the tooth in a glass of milk or some lightly salted water.
Broken Tooth
Taking care of a chipped or cracked tooth can vary in urgency. Mostly, rinsing with a saltwater solution and applying gauze to any bleeding area will be effective. Do not apply aspirin directly into the gum or tooth as it may burn. If possible, save any of the broken pieces of tooth. Should the pain, swelling or bleeding persist before an appointment can be made, consider a visit to the emergency room.
Severe Tooth Pain and Gum Pain
For most suffering from a toothache, temporary pain relief is the goal until a dental professional can be seen. Rinsing with water, using floss to dislodge anything that may be stuck, and applying a cold compress if swollen should help you.
Gum Pain can be a sign of an abscesses which are serious and should be treated by a dental or medical professional right away. Until then rinse with salt water, and consider the emergency room if you can’t be seen immediately.
Ways to prevent and help with dental emergencies
Your dentist may have products or can recommend products found at the drug store to prepare an at-home dental emergency kit. In addition to preparation, many dentists recommend wearing a mouth guard during physical activities to prevent dental injuries that can be traumatic and costly.
If you are experiencing a dental emergency in Plainville, MA – call Plainville Dental Care today!