Emergency Dental Care
Sometimes we are experiencing a small dental problem such as a minor toothache or unusual but not worrisome pain or sensitivity. These things will sometimes go away by themselves, but are always a sign of deeper dental problems. Schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.
If you have simply chipped a tooth and know there is no medical emergency that could cause you to need the dentist right away, you can relieve your pain by taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Constant pain is a sign that there is a deeper problem because the nerve and live tissues inside the tooth are involved.
If you are having a full-blown dental emergency, don’t panic. Teeth can be chipped, cracked, or knocked out for a variety of reasons. A hidden abscess may flare up suddenly. Stay calm and get to the dentist for emergency dental care immediately. If a dentist is not available, go to the emergency room for treatment.
If a permanent, adult tooth is knocked right out, your dentist may be able to re-implant it. Make an effort to find the tooth after an accident or injury, and keep it tucked under your tongue or in your cheek until you get to the emergency room or dentist. Even if the broken tooth can’t be re-implanted, you might be lucky enough to get a visit from the Tooth Fairy.
Follow these tips to make chances of re-implantation much greater:
• Handle the tooth by the chewing edges only, with clean hands. Do not touch the root.
• Try to replace the tooth in your mouth, if you can. Put it back in the socket and bite down gently. Take care that you do not swallow the tooth by accident.
• You can “store” the knocked out tooth under your tongue or in your cheek until you get to the dentist.
• If you can not keep the tooth safe and fresh in your mouth, put it in a small container covered with milk or saliva. Keep the container on ice.
• Never scrape the root of the knocked out tooth to remove dirt. Let the emergency personnel clean it. Likewise, beyond rinsing with clean, clear water, do not probe in your mouth for any reason.
• Never clean the tooth or your mouth with alcohol or peroxide.
• Baby teeth are not usually re-implanted, but your dentist may be interested in taking a look at a knocked out baby tooth.
You may use temporary dental cement, available at some pharmacies, to temporarily cover the broken surface of the tooth. Only apply temporary dental cement if the break is especially jagged and is rubbing against your lips, tongue, or cheek. Your dentist would prefer you did not use temporary cements unless absolutely necessary for comfort and safety.
Just as with any other medical emergency, it is important to stay calm if you need emergency dental care. Consult your all care dental plan insurance coverage, because you may have a dentist on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which could save you an expensive trip to the emergency room.