Unfortunately, despite taking fantastic care of your teeth, accidents can still happen. If one does occur, be sure to try and stay calm and not let anxiety take over. Typically, if our office is open and you suffer from a dental emergency, you can come to our office right away, and we will do our best to treat you. If our office is closed, on the other hand, there are still things you can do at home to keep yourself comfortable and damage to your mouth minimal. It should be noted, though, that if your emergency is life-threatening or outside the scope of what we can provide, you should call 911 or go to the closest emergency room immediately. In today’s blog, your Newport Beach, CA, dentist talks about what to do in different dental emergency situations.
Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is an exceedingly common dental emergency. We know it can be jarring but the situation is absolutely salvageable. If you do have one knocked out, the first thing you need to do is find the tooth. When you do, hold it by the crown, and rinse off its root with water. Be careful and do not remove any attached tissue fragments. If you can, try to put the tooth back in place in your mouth. With that said, do not force it back into its socket; act with care. If you can’t put the tooth back in, you can hold it in your mouth on the way to the dentist. If you are not able to see your dentist or dentist right away, place it in a small container of milk or a product like Save-a-Tooth. Be sure to make an appointment to come in as quickly as possible to maximize the chances of saving the tooth.
A Chipped Tooth
While not as severe as a knocked-out tooth, a chipped tooth is still painful and alarming. If this does happen, try to gather and save as many fragments as you can. Once you do, gently rinse your mouth with warm water. If you happen to be bleeding, apply gauze to the area until the bleeding stops. If the area hurts and starts to swell, hold a cold compress to the outside of your face where you are feeling the pain. You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed. Finally, schedule an appointment to visit your dentist or dentist as quickly as possible. Make sure to bring in the tooth fragments you have, as well. From there, your oral health care professional can recommend the appropriate procedure to fix the issue or help you replace the tooth.
Contact Us To Learn More About Dental Emergencies
It is always good to be prepared, so knowing what to do in case of a dental emergency is important. If you have any questions, you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible by calling Balboa Dental Surgery in Newport Beach, CA, today at 949-630-0143.
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