Unfortunately, dental accidents can happen to any of us. All we can do ahead of time is do everything possible to be prepared for such occurrences. Let’s start with the basics about how to prepare for and handle a dental emergency.
- Recognize Whether It’s an Emergency
- Don’t Panic!
- Program Our Number Into Your Phone
- Call Us ASAP!
If you experience a very mild toothache or lose something easily replaceable such as a retainer, it can usually wait until normal business hours. A quick call to your dentist can help you make an appointment to resolve the issue at a later time. However, never ignore urgent symptoms, such as severe tooth pain, a knocked-out tooth, facial trauma, a dental infection, and profuse oral bleeding that could lead to even more complications and expenses.
Like any other emergency, remain calm. Although getting a tooth knocked out or having excruciating tooth pain is never ideal, panicking only makes any situation worse. Do your research beforehand so you will feel confident handling an emergency until professional dental care can be received. Keep a knocked-out tooth moist in a glass of milk and contact us immediately—reinsertion within the hour is imperative. In some toothache cases, taking pain medication such as ibuprofen, rinsing your mouth with warm salt water, or holding a cold compress on your cheek near where the tooth is can help lessen the pain. Additionally, try flossing to dislodge any rogue food particles.
Make sure you have our office’s phone number located in an easily accessible place, like saved in your cell phone. In a dental emergency, call us at 480-497-0226 immediately! Once in contact with us, ask for detailed instructions on what you should do until you can receive treatment. If you can’t reach us after business hours, you’ll need to rely upon a nearby urgent care center or emergency room.
If you can’t reach us and are in danger of permanently losing a tooth or are experiencing profuse bleeding or unbearable pain, go to the nearest emergency facility. You can always update us after you’ve received proper treatment. Then we can help you with taking care of any follow-up procedures. Remember, your oral health is our priority here at Bluedot Dental! Contact us for additional tips to prepare for a dental emergency.
