Dental problems can occur outside the scope of your family dentist but that doesn't mean you cannot cope well with an emergency until you can be seen. Read below and get some tips on dealing with several common dental emergencies that will make things better for you in the meantime.
Lost fillings can be painful when food or the air makes contact with the root of your tooth after losing a filling.
Fortunately, you can take action that both alleviates the discomfort and helps shore up your tooth and prevent further damage before your dentist can repair it. You might be surprised, but sugar-free chewing gum can help fill the spot temporarily. Most pharmacies carry dental cement in kits that help seal things up and make you more comfortable. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help with any discomfort until Monday.
Infections are one dental emergency that may require a trip to the emergency room.
An abscess is a pocket of infection in your gums. The area is swollen and sometimes (but not always) painful. An infection like this may progress to affect your other body systems. For the very young, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system, abscesses can be extremely dangerous. Go to urgent care or emergency room if your dental office is closed if you fit the above categories or you begin to feel seriously unwell. Abscesses should be addressed quickly, regardless of your health, so phone the dentist as soon as possible — they will fit you in.
Toothaches can make your teeth and gums ache for many reasons but any time pain is severe or persistent you probably need to call your dentist.
Cracked teeth, cavities, and sensitive teeth are often the cause of toothaches. While you wait for your dental appointment use Tylenol or Aleve to help with the pain.
Teeth can take the brunt of blows and leave a gap in the meantime.
Car accidents, sports injuries, and, unfortunately, an assault can knock a tooth or two out. No matter what, locating and taking care of the knocked-out tooth is of great importance. Once you find the tooth, wash it very gently and do not dry it off or remove any gum or root material from it. Place the tooth back in the mouth is possible. If not, place the tooth in a mixture of warm salt water or milk. You might also check with your local pharmacy for kits that are purpose-made for knocked-out teeth.
As soon as possible, see your dentist for more permanent solutions.
Share19 September 2019
My son was outside playing with some friends when he accidentally fell down and hit his mouth on the sidewalk. The fall knocked out his front tooth, so I immediately placed the tooth in a small jar and added some milk. I rushed my son to the dental clinic and the dentist immediately took us into the examination room. The dentist placed the tooth back into the socket and saved it. My name is Beverly Tillman and thanks to the quick work of the dentist, my son didn't lose his tooth. Since this was a scary time for me and my son, I wanted to write this blog as a source of information for other parents who are facing a dental emergency. First of all, don't panic and get to your dentist as soon as possible. I hope this blog will help to answer your questions about dental emergencies.