Seattle dental patients do you know what to do if you have a dental emergency?
Seattle dental patients do you know what to do if you have a dental emergency? There are a range of dental emergencies that can occur such as a broken tooth, knocked out tooth or tooth ache. In this week’s blog Dr. Amato reviews what to do in case of a dental emergency. Remember to add our phone number to your address book we are here to answer any questions in case of emergency.
For toothaches, rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between your teeth. Do not put aspirin on your aching tooth or gums; it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact our office. The best pain medication for teeth and gum pain is ibuprofen alternating with Tylenol. If a tooth is abscessed, antibiotics are only prescribed if you have a fever or swelling. If the infection spreads to your neck and you are having difficulty breathing or swallowing, rush to your local emergency room.
When an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these other signs or symptoms:
- Red or swollen gums
- Tender or bleeding gums
- Jaw pain
- Swelling around the jaw
- Bad breath
- An unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Difficulty opening your mouth
Are your wisdom teeth causing you pain or have you experienced any of the symptoms mentioned? If so, it is time to have them removed. Most people do not have adequate jaw space for their wisdom teeth.
When a tooth has been dislodged due to trauma, see your dentist ASAP. The dentist may be able to realign your teeth, if you wait too long, you may be faced with the possibility the teeth will be permanently misaligned requiring orthodontics. When a tooth is completely knocked out of your mouth it has a high chance of being saved if it is returned to the socket within one hour. The less time a tooth is out of it’s socket, the better chance of saving it. When the tooth cannot be put back into it’s socket you can put it in milk to prevent the tooth root from drying out. Call our office immediately!
Teeth are remarkably strong but they can chip, crack or break. When a tooth chips or breaks, it may not hurt. However, your tongue usually feels the sharp area quite quickly. Minor tooth fractures usually don’t cause pain, but if a large piece of the tooth breaks off, it can hurt. If you cannot get to your dentist, go the pharmacy and use temporary filling material to fill the hole. If the tooth is not sensitive, do not place anything into the hole and avoid chewing on that side.
If you lose a crown or cap, call your dentist. If the tooth is sensitive, you can purchase temporary cement at the pharmacy and recement your crown. Keep the tooth dry prior to recementing. Do not recement with glue. Do not leave the crown off the tooth for more than a few days; the adjacent teeth and/or the opposing tooth can move which may cause the crown not to fit.
If you ever have a dental emergency we are here to help you any time, any day! When your dental health is at risk, we’ll do everything we can to make sure you’re treated as soon as possible. If you experience a dental emergency, be sure to call our practice as soon as possible!
