10 Tips to Deal with Dental Emergencies

Nowadays, dentists have many options for dealing with dental emergencies. We can benefit from advancements in dentistry, like pain management and techniques to restore teeth. Teeth can be restored with synthetic materials that resemble the natural teeth and are strong enough to bear any amount of load.

How to deal with dental emergencies

Nowadays, dentists have many options for dealing with dental emergencies. We can benefit from advancements in dentistry, like pain management and techniques to restore teeth. Teeth can be restored with synthetic materials that resemble the natural teeth and are strong enough to bear any amount of load. The present day dentists are well trained to deal with such dental health emergencies that can range from simple pain to severe excruciating pain.

Dental pain is one of the most common reasons why people go to a dentist. A tooth ache can be triggered by consuming very hot or very cold food and drinks. Sometimes when the food is very hard to chew, biting on it can cause hair line fracture, which can also result in excruciating pain. Generally, a throbbing pain occurs on a restored tooth when the filling comes out, this occur because the underlying tissues of the tooth like pulp chamber containing dental nerves are exposed.

Any injury to teeth or gums can be serious and should not be ignored. Injuries to soft tissues of the oral cavity like the gums and surrounding areas can damage nerves or blood vessels permanently. There are greater chances of getting infections if the blood supply is reduced and hence it may result in life threatening conditions. It’s better to treat a dental injury or resolve dental pain as soon as possible to avoid any fatal condition.

Tips in Case of a Dental Emergency

As we all know, we are highly prone to accidents and face injuries involving teeth is most common. If you have a dental emergency, don’t panic and just follow certain procedures. Handling a dental emergency can be tricky when you or a loved one is in pain, but a quick and appropriate action can help save a tooth. The American Dental Association recommends that you become familiar with these dental emergency procedures just in case you ever have a dental emergency. These tips will tell you what to do in case of such emergencies.

1. Toothache Dental Emergency

When your tooth starts paining, try to clean your mouth by rinsing thoroughly with warm water. This gives temporary relief if you have gum problems. Gently floss around the tooth to remove any food particles that are stuck in between the teeth. Take an analgesic or pain relieving drug to subside the pain. Avoid placing aspirin under the gums as it results in aspirin burns. If your tooth continues to hurt, you should call your dentist as soon as possible. A toothache can result from several dental problems like dental cavities or dental fractures or mobile teeth and also due to increased sensitivity of the tooth. By visiting your dentist regularly you can avoid such dental pain.

2. Broken Tooth Emergency

Usually a restored tooth is weak and breaks or chips of along with the filling, resulting in severe pain. If your tooth breaks, the first thing you should do is take some pain killers and visit your dentist immediately. Apply a cold compress to the area to minimize any swelling of the soft structure.

3. Broken Jaw Dental Emergency

People who face road accidents are more vulnerable to get jaw fractures. It calls for immediate dental emergency, call an ambulance and till then try to stop the bleeding and swelling by applying cold pressure on the affected area. Take an appointment of oral surgeon and cosmetic surgeon as well.

4. Lost filling Dental Emergency

As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity (sugar-filled gum will cause pain). This needs to be done as the dental tubules or dental nerves are exposed which cause extreme pain when it comes in contact with air. See your dentist as soon as possible.

5. Bitten Tongue or Lip Emergency

If you have bitten your tongue or lip, gently wipe the area clean with a cloth. Apply a cold compress to the area to minimize bleeding and swelling in that area. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you should go to the emergency room in a nearby hospital.

6. Dental Emergency of Something Caught Between Your Teeth

Gently remove the obstacle in between teeth or between permanent denture & teeth, by using a dental floss or wooden toothpick. You must be very careful not to cut the gum tissue. If you are unable to remove the object, contact your dentist. Never use a sharp object to try and remove something that is stuck in between your teeth.

7. Knocked Out Tooth Dental Emergency

If your tooth comes out completely, rinse the tooth off very gently to make sure it is clean and don’t damage the surrounding tissues. Do not scrub the tooth or remove any tissue that is attached to it. Be sure to place a towel or wash cloth in the sink so that it does not go down the drain. Gently place the tooth back into the socket or at least in the mouth so that it’s in contact with the saliva. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a small container or cup of milk. You will need to take the tooth with you and get to your dentist immediately.

8. Broken Crown Dental Emergency

If the dental crown breaks off, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. If you can’t get to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area. If possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Do not use super glue!

9. Broken Braces Wires Dental Emergency

If a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking the cheek, tongue or gum causing bleeding from the soft tissues, try to put a chewing gum on the exposed ends of the wire. Use the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into a more comfortable position. If you can’t reposition the wire, cover the end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you can get to your orthodontist’s office. Never cut the wire, as you could end up swallowing it or sucking it into your lungs.

10. Loose Brackets and Bands Emergency

Temporarily reattach loose braces with a small piece of orthodontic wax. Alternatively, place the wax over the braces to provide a cushion. See your orthodontist as soon as possible. If the problem is a loose band, call your orthodontist for an appointment to have it re-cemented or replaced (and to have missing spacers replaced).

When to Call Your Dentist because of Dental Emergency

If you’re not sure if a dental problem is an emergency, dentists offer this advice: If it hurts, it’s an dental emergency. This is because even injuries that seem small or superficial can damage the pulp tissue inside the tooth which contains the nerve and blood supply of a tooth. Quick treatment improves the odds of saving injured or damaged teeth.

Even if you don’t have much pain, any structural damage to a tooth should be considered an emergency. When the teeth starts becoming mobile due to a superficial injury, it may result in tooth loss. If any damage to gums occurs, it may result in periodontal infections especially in diabetic patients. Sometimes a small oral lesion which may or May not have any pain can be fatal like the precancerous oral lesions. So if you see any such lesion on your oral cavity, visit a dentist immediately.

If you have any broken restoration or crown structure, see your dentist right away, there’s a good chance he or she will be able to repair the damage with minimal treatment and the prognosis is usually good.