Dental emergencies, just like any other unexpected occurrence, can put you in a fix at any hour.
From sucker punches to unfortunate road crashes, many hapless situations can become the reason for a dental emergency.
If you ever confront a tooth injury or a gum problem that demands urgent attention, it’s always wise to go and see your family dentist and discuss the concern and required treatment options well within time. If not done, it could potentially put you at a higher risk. Extending emergency treatments or brushing them aside can lead to permanent teeth damage or cost you spend hefty amounts on the extensive treatments.
Does this info make you slightly uncomfortable? As a Goose Creek dentist, I would suggest that rather than getting panicked, it’s better to get acquainted with how to handle dental emergencies. Knowing emergency care methods will help you get instant relief and prevent serious infections & tooth decay problems. However, it is better to visit a dental clinic as quickly as possible if it is a serious concern.
To help you during instances of a dental emergency, we have some top dental care tips for you to follow. These tips will prove handy to deal with the condition before you see a specialist.
Before we discuss emergency tooth care tips, first, let’s determine what exactly could lead you to have one. Here are the instances relating to an emergency dental care situation –
- Losing a permanent tooth accidentally
- Massive mouth swelling
- Bleeding in mouth
- Severe pain or uneasiness
Top 7 Emergency Tooth Care Tips
If you are suffering from any or more of the aforementioned symptoms, you face a dental emergency. The thing to do is to see a dentist immediately, but in the meantime, try following these tips –
1. Toothaches
Toothaches are excruciating.
They can affect your ability to sleep or work. Therefore, treating a paining tooth immediately becomes a thing of prominent importance.
For mitigating the effects of a severe toothache, it is recommended to rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water. If there is any food, try removing it with the help of dental floss. If there is slight swelling, treat it with a cold compress, but remember not to put aspirin or any other painkillers near the aching area as it may burn the tissues of the gums and lead to serious consequences. Moreover, if the pain is uncontrollable, rush to your family dentist immediately.
2. Knocked-Out Tooth
A serious injury or fall may dislodge your tooth completely from its socket. However, to increase its probability of remaining viable, it is necessary to handle it efficiently. If your tooth gets knocked out, first of all, try putting it back into its original position. If it is impossible to reinsert, try holding it by the crown and washing the tooth root with water. Next, store it in a vessel containing milk and if milk is not available, store it in water containing a pinch of salt. In all of the cases, rush to your Goose Creek family dentist immediately, as a knocked tooth can be saved and reinserted back if seen by a dentist within an hour.
3. Broken Tooth
In case if your tooth breaks partially or gets chipped off, preserve the broken parts and cease bleeding by rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water. Moreover, if you develop pain, try alleviating it with the help of a cold compress and rush to see your dental care specialist right away.
4. Removing Stuck Objects
Most of us often try to remove the trapped seeds or food particles stuck between the teeth using sharp objects like a needle or a hairpin. But hey, that’s something which is a big no-no. Using sharp objects in the mouth may lead you to suffer from serious injuries or infections. They may even cut your gums and scratch the surface of your tooth. Thus, it is better to use dental floss or visit the dentist in case of an unmanageable issue.
5. Lost crown
If your tooth crown falls off, book an appointment with your dentist, and get standard dental care. But if your dentist cannot be approached immediately and you are suffering from unbearable pain, try soothing it with the help of clove oil. Apply the oil gently over the pain area or if possible, try pushing the crown back over the tooth. Do note that before attempting this, coat the crown’s inner surface with denture adhesives or toothpaste.
6. Soft-tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries refer to injuries caused to cheeks, gums, tongue, or lips. Injuries to such sensitive areas may result in excessive bleeding; therefore, it is required to control using preventive measures. However, to control bleeding, here is what you need to do –
- Rinse your mouth with salty water.
- Moisten the piece of cotton or tea bag and apply it to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.
- To curb pain and bleed, consider using a cold compress outside the mouth or cheeks for about 5-10 minutes.
- If bleeding continues, visit your dentist without delay and try pressuring the affected area until you get treated.
7. Abscess
An Abscess is a kind of infection that can occur around the root of the tooth or between the spaces of teeth and gums. An Abscess is a serious issue and can also spread to other parts of the mouth. Generally, Abscess grows in the form of pimple-like swelling that is painful and filled with pus. To ease the pain, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with mild salt water. Again, do see an emergency dentist to deal with the issue with the utmost care.
If you ever come across any of the aforementioned dental risks, make sure to use these tips. You can also reach us at our Huch Family Dentistry Goose Creek clinic and avail of high-quality dental care. We cover all kinds of teeth issues, gum disease treatments, root canals, dental implants, and more to help you own a beautiful smile. To know more about our team or emergency dentist services, give us a call at (843) 797-0782.