What Is a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can occur quite suddenly, for example toothache can develop overnight, or a tooth may be injured through some sort of trauma. Certain types of dental emergencies require prompt action to avoid permanent damage or infection. Listed below are a few situations that fall into this category.

• Broken or cracked teeth. Contact Dr. Thanos in Weston as soon as possible. In the meantime rinse out your mouth with water, and use a cold compress to reduce any swelling.
• Bleeding lips or tongue. Wash the affected area and try to stem the bleeding through holding a clean piece of gauze over the wound while applying gentle pressure. If the bleeding won’t stop, go to the emergency room straightaway.
• Jaw injury. If you have injured your jaw, apply an ice pack to help reduce swelling and visit your dental office or emergency room straightaway.
• Knocked out tooth. Pick up the tooth holding it by its crown and rinse any dirt off the root. Don’t remove any pieces of tissue remaining on the root. If you can, try to reinsert the tooth, holding it in place with a clean finger. Otherwise store the tooth in some clean water and take it to your local dental office or emergency room. Teeth can sometimes be reinserted, but usually only within the first half an hour to an hour.
• Loose tooth. Contact Dr. Thanos immediately if one of your teeth becomes loose. In the meantime use over-the-counter painkillers if required, and a cold compress to reduce swelling.
• Lost filling or crown. Contact Dr. Thanos in Weston for an emergency appointment, but in the meantime you may want to reattach the crown using temporary cement from your local drugstore. Otherwise store the crown safely and bring it with you to your appointment. You can also use temporary cement as a temporary filling, or alternatively try a small piece of sugar-free gum.
• Severe toothache. Gently floss around the affected tooth in case the pain is caused by trapped food debris. Make an appointment to see Dr. Thanos as soon as possible.
• Gum swelling. This can indicate an abscess and requires immediate treatment to clear the infection. See Dr. Thanos as soon as possible.

If you live in the Weston, contact us today