This article covers cases of dental emergency problems such as tooth loss due to severe trauma, loose tooth, broken teeth, damage to the oral and gingival tissue, etc. For more information on dental emergencies and how to handle them, you can ask our North York Emergency Dentist or click here.
Are you prepared for the unexpected things that may happen to your teeth?
If something happens to your teeth, your emergency dentist should be the first person you contact. Most dentists make time for dental emergencies. Always have your dentist’s office number available.
If you are at home or traveling, the following tips will help you manage a dental problem before getting to the dentist. Keep in mind that in some dental problems, getting to the emergency dentist later than 30 minutes is equal to losing a tooth.
A Knocked- out tooth
A knocked-out tooth needs immediate attention! If the emergency procedures are performed correctly and immediately after falling out of the tooth, the emergency dentist will likely be able to put it in place and save the missing tooth.
Here are some tips for you:
1. Hold the knocked-out tooth from the top of the tooth or the crown of the tooth. Do not touch the roots of the tooth.
2. Rinse the tooth to ensure that the tooth is clean. Do not brush your teeth with a toothbrush
3. Do not remove tissue that may be attached to the tooth.
4. If you can, place the tooth carefully and gently in place. Then gently try to close your jaw.
5. If you cannot put the tooth in place, put it in a small container or a cup of milk. Note that the previous option is a more appropriate method.
6. Contact your emergency dentist immediately! The later the tooth is re-implanted, the less likely the tooth can survive.
loose Tooth and tooth displacement
If you have a loose tooth, call your emergency dentist right away for an emergency appointment. You can replace the displaced tooth with a little finger pressure before reaching the dentist. Do not put too much pressure on the teeth. Close your jaw to prevent tooth movement. The dentist may attach the loose tooth to an adjacent tooth.
A broken or cracked tooth
If your tooth is cracked or broken and you have no pain, you are not in a dental emergency, and you can see an emergency dentist a few days later. But when chewing food, you should be careful of cracked teeth. The emergency dentist may trim the area around the cracked tooth to smooth it or use composite fillings to repair it.
Broken teeth are one of the most sensitive and severe cases of a dental emergency. Usually, there is a possibility of damage to the inside of the tooth. In severe tooth fractures, tooth loss is also possible. If your tooth is broken, contact your emergency dentist immediately for an emergency appointment and follow these steps:
1. Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
2. If the tooth fracture has caused swelling in your face, use an ice pack.
3. If you have pain, use painkillers such as acetaminophen.
4. Never use topical painkillers for your gums because these painkillers burn the gum tissue.
The emergency dentist needs an X-ray to check and diagnose the broken tooth. If the tooth nerve (tooth pulp) is damaged, root canal surgery may be needed. If the dental pulp is not damaged, it may just be necessary to repair it by dental veneer.
Any injury to the mouth, such as deep sores, cuts, or tears on the lips, cheeks, mouth, and tongue, is known as tissue damage and is considered a dental emergency. If you experience tissue damage, it is important to wash the affected area immediately with warm water. If your tongue is bleeding, gently pull out your tongue and apply sterile gauze to the wound. Get to an emergency dentist immediately.
You can use acetaminophen to reduce the pain associated with oral tissue damage. Never use aspirin or ibuprofen in a dental emergency room as these drugs are anticoagulants and increase the severity of bleeding.
