How to Handle Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies can happen to you when you are least expecting them. Learn how to do a temporary fix for a broken tooth, knocked-out tooth or other dental emergencies before you are able to get to a dentist.

The first person you should call when you are having a dental problem, is your dentist. Make sure you have your dentist's office number and emergency contact number available.

Before You Can Get To A Dentist, Follow These Emergency Dental Tips:

Toothaches

• Rinse your mouth out thoroughly with warm water.
  
  
• Remove any lodged food with dental floss.
  
  
• Apply a cold compress on your mouth or cheek, to reduce swelling.
  
  
• Call your dentist if the toothache persists.

Abscess Tooth

An abscessed tooth is an infection around the root or between the teeth and gums (pimple like swelling on your gums) that can be extremely painful . Abscesses can be a very serious condition that can damage the surrounding teeth and gums and spread to other parts of the body.

• Apply a cold compress on your mouth or cheek, to reduce swelling (apply for 20 minutes, three or four times a day).
  
  
• To ease the pain, rinse out your mouth with a mild solution of salt water (1/2 tsp. salt to 8 oz. water). Do this several times per day.
  
  
• Get in to see your dentist as soon as possible, you will most likely need antibiotics. You may need to have the tooth extracted.

Chipped or Broken Tooth

• Save the chipped or broken pieces.
  
  
• Rinse out your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean.
  
  
• To keep the area from swelling, use a cold compress.
  
  
• Apply a sterile gauze to the area for ten minutes if you are experiencing any bleeding.
  
  
• Call your dentist.

Lost Filling

• Rinse out your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean.
  
  
• As a temporary fix, place a stick of sugarless gum or an over-the-counter dental cement into the cavity.
  
  
• Get in to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Lost Crown

• If your tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply clove oil to the area (clove oil can be purchased in most pharmacies).
  
  
• If possible, put an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste or dental adhesive to hold the crown onto the affected tooth. Gently bite down with a sterile gauze to seat the crown (this is a temporary fix until you can see your dentist).
  
  
• Super glue or any other glue should never be used.

Partially Dislodged Tooth

• If possible, using your fingers, try to put your tooth back into place with very light pressure, do not try to force it.
  
  
• To try and keep the tooth in place, you can gently bite down.
  
  
• Your dentist may want to keep the tooth stabilized by splinting the tooth to the two adjacent teeth.

Knocked-Out Tooth

A knocked-out tooth is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. If these emergency tips are followed right after a tooth has been knocked out, there is a good chance that the tooth can be saved.

• The tooth should be picked up by the top of the tooth (crown). The root of the tooth should not be touched.
  
  
• Gently rinse the tooth off with plain water to clean it. Make sure you cover the drain so the tooth doesn't accidentally go down the drain.
  
  
• The tooth should not be scrubbed or any attached tissue should not be removed.
  
  
• Gently place the tooth back into the socket in the correct position, if possible. Gently try to bite down on gauze to hold it in position.
  
  
• If it is not possible to put the tooth back into its socket, place the tooth into a container with milk, warm salt water or your own saliva. Get to a dentist immediately, preferable within one hour.
  
  
• Call your dentist immediately. The longer you wait for implantation, the less likely you will be able to save the tooth.

Soft Tissue Injury

Injuries to the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips can cause bleeding. To help control bleeding, here are some things you can do:

• Rinse the area with a mild salt water solution (1/2 tsp. salt to 8 oz. water). Do this several times per day.
  
  
• A moistened piece of gauze or tea bag can be used to apply pressure to the bleeding area. Make sure you hold the gauze or tea bag in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
  
  
• Hold a cold compress to the outside of the cheek or mouth to control bleeding and relieve pain, holding for 5 to 10 minutes.
  
  
• If you can not stop the bleeding, get medical help immediately. Continue to apply pressure to the bleeding area until you can be treated.

For dental emergencies there are a few things that you can keep in your home medicine cabinet, a dental emergency kit , clove oil and crown cement .








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