In An Emergency
Although most of us try our best to avoid them, emergencies do happen when we least expect it. Call us as soon as you need dental help.
Here is a quick tip guide for some “dental emergencies”
1. If a tooth gets knocked out…Put the tooth in a jar or water or wrap in a damp cloth. Do NOT clean it, or you could destroy valuable tissue. Call us immediately for dental help and get to our office within half an hour. There is a chance we can save the tooth if we see the patient soon enough.
2. If a tooth is broken or chipped…Minor chips that do not expose the nerve do not require our immediate attention, although we should see the patient soon to determine whether and how to best repair the tooth. Severe breaks which expose the nerve are another matter: cover the tooth with a damp cloth and call us immediately. If a nerve is exposed and you wait to long to see us, the nerve can become contaminated, die and cause an abscess.
3. If your mouth is injured or bleeding…Immediate first aid measures include applying pressure to stop the bleeding and covering the injury with an ice pack to reduce swelling. See us as quickly as possible for major cleaning and assessment of the damage to your teeth and mouth.
4. If you lose a filling…Avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and avoid very hot or cold foods. If you are in pain, apply oil of cloves or Ambesol available at the drug store, but remember these are to only be used or pain relieve temporarily, and is not a cure. You’ll want to come and see us to have the damaged fully repaired.
5. Abscess and/or Swelling…Take Ibuprofen or Tylenol and see us as soon as possible. You can try to apply some oil of cloves or Anbesol to relieve some pain, but when you have swelling/abscess/excruciating pain you need to come see us as soon as possible. Abscesses can lead to other health issues and need to be dealt with immediately.
6. Broken bridge or dental appliance…Save the broken parts (if possible) and try not to chew on that side of your mouth. If rough edges are exposed, prevent damage to your tongue and cheek by covering the broken area with some soft wax…and again, call us for dental help as soon as you can.
(727) 785-6784