Dental emergencies can happen at any time, so it’s best to be prepared. Here are 5 of the most common dental emergencies and what to do if they occur.
- Toothache
- Chipped Tooth
- Knocked Out Tooth
- Lost Filling or Dental Crown
- Abscess
There are many reasons why your tooth could start to ache, the most common being the start of tooth decay. The symptoms of a toothache are often a sharp pain or a dull pain in and around the tooth. You may think you can ride out this pain, but you’ll want to handle it as soon as you realize there’s a problem. Before you come in to get it checked out, rinse your mouth out with warm water and floss to remove any food caught between your teeth that could be exacerbating the problem. Do not put aspirin near the gums or teeth, as it could burn your gum tissue.
You can chip your tooth on something as simple as a piece of hard candy. If that happens, be sure to save any pieces that chip off and rinse your mouth out with warm water. Rinse the tooth with warm water to clean it. To keep the swelling down, apply a cold compress to your face.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out, attempt to put the tooth back in place without touching its root. If you can’t do that, be sure to keep the tooth moist by placing it in between your gums and cheek, putting it in milk, or in a tooth preserving product approved by the American Dental Association. Once the tooth is safe, call us immediately because the sooner you can get the tooth back in its socket, the better chance you have of saving it.
If you’ve lost a crown, use a cotton swab to apply clove oil on the painful area and place the crown back over the tooth using an over-the-counter dental cement, denture adhesive, or even toothpaste while you wait to come in and see us. If you’ve lost a filling, place a piece of sugarless chewing gum into the cavity as a temporary fix.
An abscess is an infection between the teeth and gums or at the root of a tooth. It damages tissue surrounding the teeth and can even infect the rest of the body if it’s not treated. If you see a pimple-like bump on your gum, call us immediately. In the meantime, rinse your mouth out with warm salt water to ease the pain.
It’s important to call us as soon as a dental emergency happens. The sooner you call us at (480) 497-0226, the sooner your dental emergency will be solved!