Here are some common dental emergencies and
how to handle them.
Toothache
First call us.
Explain your symptoms and ask to be seen as soon
as possible. Then ease the pain. Take an
over-the-counter pain medicine that works for
you, but do not put the pills on your sore
tooth. Hold an ice pack against your face at the
spot of the sore tooth.
Do not put a heating pad, a hot water bottle,
or any other source of heat on your jaw. Heat
will make things worse instead of better.
Chipped or broken
tooth
Broken teeth can almost always be saved. Call
us and explain what happened. He or she will see
you right away. If it's a small break, us may
use a white filling to fix the tooth. If the
break is serious, a root canal may be needed.
Your tooth may also need a crown (also called a
cap).
Knocked out tooth
If the knocked-out tooth is an adult (or
permanent) tooth, us may be able to put it back.
You must act quickly. If the tooth is put back
in place within 10 minutes, it has a fair chance
of taking root again. After 2 hours, the chances
are poor.
If the tooth looks clean, put it back in its
place (its socket). If this is not possible, or
if there's a chance that the tooth might be
swallowed, put it in a container of cold milk.
Go to us, or to the nearest dentist, right away.
If you get help within ten minutes, there is a
fair chance that the tooth will take root again.
Badly bitten lip or
tongue
If there is bleeding, press down on the part
of the mouth that is bleeding. Use a clean cloth
to do this. If the lip is swollen, use an ice
pack to keep the swelling down. If the bleeding
does not stop, go to Emergency at a hospital
right away.
Something stuck
between teeth
First, try using dental floss, very gently
and carefully, to remove the object. Never poke
between your teeth with a pin or similar sharp,
pointy object; it can cut your gums or scratch
the tooth surface. If you can't get the object
out, see us.
Lost filling
Put a piece of softened sugarless chewing gum
in the spot where the filling was lost. This
will protect the area for a short period of
time. See a us as soon as possible.
