In many dental emergency situations, panic can stop you from taking the necessary steps to stem any damage and save your healthy smile. In others, you may simply not know what those necessary steps are, or whether or not your situation actually constitutes an emergency. Since time and knowledge can often be your most important assets in a dental emergency, we can help you utilize both with a few tips on how to handle an emergency situation.
Common Dental Emergencies
A dental emergency means different things to different people. You may even experience more than one kind of dental emergency at different times in your life. Determining whether or not you need emergency treatment in a given situation depends on the nature and severity of your condition. Some of the more common dental emergencies include (but are not limited to);
- Sudden, severe toothache (even if you didn’t recently injure a tooth)
- A cracked or fractured tooth
- A broken tooth (meaning a piece has broken off of the tooth)
- One or more loose teeth (which could indicate a significant risk of tooth loss)
- A knocked-out tooth (avulsed tooth)
- A partially knocked-out tooth
- A broken dental crown
- A failed dental filling
- A broken or lost dental appliance, i.e. a dental bridge or denture
First-Aid Steps in a Dental Emergency
- If you’ve been hit in the mouth, or have fallen and sustained a dental injury, first thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water to wash away any dirt and debris. Try to inspect the tooth in question to take note of the damage, and collect any pieces that may have broken off, if possible.
- If bleeding occurs, then apply pressure with a moist, clean piece of gauze. You can bite down gently on the gauze until the bleeding stops, or until you reach our office for emergency treatment.
- If a tooth is knocked out, then collect it, rinse it carefully (holding only the crown of the tooth), and try to place the tooth back in its socket in your gums. If it doesn’t fit, then place the tooth in a small container of milk, and bring it with you to our office.
ABOUT YOUR SHREWSBURY DENTISTS:
At Modern Dentistry, Todd A. Pizzi, DDS, and Luciana Messina, DDS, are dedicated to providing high-quality cosmetic, restorative, and preventive dentistry services to patients and families in Shrewsbury, Worcester, North and South Grafton, Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Boylston, Hopkinton, Millbury, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your next appointment, contact our office by calling (508) 842-6356 today.
