Common Dental Emergencies and First Aid

We would like to start this article with a note that if you have a dental emergency please call our office immediately.

Dental emergencies are nothing to joke about, they can be very painful and do you know what to do in case of a dental emergency? Most people start to freak out and do not know what to do, that is why I am going to have a list of common dental emergencies and their first aid treatment until you can get in to see your dentist.

The most common dental emergency is a toothache. It may sound simple but there could be many reasons behind this ache and it could be serious. Here is what you should do, you should first rinse your mouth out with warm water. Then, you will want to take some pain medication such as ibuprofen. However, do not take aspirin. Another thing to keep in mind does not put any pain medication that is orally put on directly on the site of pain. This could potentially damage tissues and make the pain worse.

Our next most common dental emergency is a damaged tooth or external damage. This type of injury can be very painful and you will want to see your dentist as soon as possible to get the issue resolved. However, if this happens on a weekend or late at night here are some tips to help you until you can see your local dentist.

Now there are many different types of external damage or damaged tooth injuries our most common is a knocked out tooth. If this happens you will want to pick up the tooth by the top or the crown. Do not pick it up by the roots. After you have picked it up, clean it thoroughly. Then store it in a saline solution or milk that is placed in a mild place. The reasoning behind storing your tooth is because it can be restored if you are able to get into the dentist within about 60 minutes before the root cells die.

Next on our most common dental emergencies is a broken tooth. You will want to recover any fragments if there are any and store them the same as if you have had a knocked out tooth.

Another common dental emergency is abscesses. These can be very painful if not treated right away. An abscess can even be serious or life threatening in some cases. So if you see swelling and a pimple looking substance in your mouth, it is important that you rinse your mouth with a warm saline solution and see your dentist as soon as possible.

If you are experiencing any pain in your mouth or around your mouth it is important that you see your dentist as soon as possible. Some dentists actually offer an emergency care which can be done at any time. This may cost more but if you are in a lot of pain, you can also visit your local emergency room because they can also help with pain. It is important to tell your dentist how urgent your situation is and that you need to be seen as soon as possible. It is important that you are aware of what the problem may be as well. Your smile is important and that is why dentists will take the time to make sure you are not in pain and your smile will be okay.