A dental emergency could happen to any of us, and could lead to damaged teeth, compromised prosthetics, and lost teeth! With the right actions, you can ease your discomfort before seeing our team for treatment. In today’s blog, your Newport Beach, CA, dental office can offer relief and lifelike results following a dental emergency. Don’t live with dental damage and discomfort, as we can offer care to prevent complications from arising that threaten your smile’s stability and beauty.
Common Examples of Dental Emergencies
A dental emergency is any damage to the teeth or gums that isn’t life threatening, but still needs immediate attention. This could include cracked, chipped, or broken teeth. If you have a tooth knocked loose or out completely, you should see us. The same goes for objects trapped between teeth that floss can’t remove, or a persistent toothache. If your crowns or fillings are compromised, or your prosthetics damaged, you should also see us right away.
When to Call Our Team
You should call us when an injury happens, even if it occurs outside of our normal business hours. We will contact you to arrange a time to see you and offer treatment. We don’t want you to suffer from discomfort or further injury, or for a damaged tooth to become a decayed or infected one. After you call, you can take steps to ease your discomfort!
Easing Your Discomfort
First, rinse with warm water and then use a bit of cloth or gauze to control any bleeding. You should also consider an ice pack or cold compress to the side of the face to fight swelling. You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever too. If a tooth is broken or chipped, try to recover any pieces and bring them with you. If this isn’t possible, we can still restore your tooth.
If something is stuck between your teeth, never use anything other than floss to attempt to dislodge it, as you risk damaging gums and your teeth. If you have a toothache, then rinse with water and gently floss one either side of the tooth. If this fails to alleviate your discomfort, then come see us right away.
If a restoration is compromised, avoid very hot or cold foods and drinks, or items high in sugar, as the tooth is very sensitive. If a tooth is knocked out, then pick it up by the crown, never the root, and attempt to place it back into the socket after gently rinsing away dirt and debris. If you can’t, then put it in a sealed container of milk or salt water. Bring any pieces of the tooth, restoration, or prosthetic to the office with you.
Possible Treatment Options
We can create new prosthetics and restorations as needed, restoring your smile to optimal health, function, and beauty. If a tooth is damaged, dental bonding could address minor damage in one visit, while a crown could offer durable and lifelike results for more serious cases of decay or injury. Our team can return your smile to optimal health and function, with custom restorations and prosthetics that provide immediate relief and better oral health down the road.
Taking Steps to Safeguard Your Smile
If you play full contact sports or martial arts, talk to our team about a custom mouthguard to provide a better level of protection than your traditional boil-and-bite mouthguards. Also, be sure you take proper care of your smile to avoid issues like tooth decay, which could weaken tooth structure and leave it more vulnerable to injury. Be sure you’re caring for your restoration and prosthetics as our office recommends, to keep them strong and prevent breakage. If you have any questions about how we approach treating dental emergencies, or about avoiding them with preventive actions, then contact our team today to learn more. We’re ready to help you enjoy a full and healthy smile, one that looks beautiful and inspires confidence!
Talk To Your Newport Beach, CA, Dentist About Emergency Dentistry
To learn more about how our team treats common dental emergencies to offer better oral health and an attractive smile, call Dr. Hofkes at Balboa Dental Surgery at (949) 630-0143 to schedule an appointment today. Don’t ignore your potential emergency, even if it appears like a minor toothache or small chip., Even minor damage or discomfort could mean the risk of cavities or infection down the road, threatening the stability of your smile. See us right away! If the issue appears life threatening however, please call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room.
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