How to Handle a Dental Emergency

Dental emergencies, such as a toothache, a chip, or an adult tooth falling out, can be a terrifying experience. Knowing what to do in those situations can help you better prepare and handle your emotional stress.

Toothaches: What causes them and what to do about them

There are many common causes of toothaches, the most obvious one being eating sugary foods. Any organic matter that’s wedged in between and in your teeth can cause pressure, building up and corroding the enamel of your tooth over time. Sinus infections, jaw injuries, teething, gum disease, and grinding can also cause toothaches. To care for a toothache, you can try out some of these tips, which include:

Rinsing your mouth out with warm salt water – Having too hot or cold water can end up shocking the nerve endings in the pulp, causing further pain. Salt helps to remove bacteria in the gums, and can effectively remove plaque and tartar over time.

Take acetaminophen and ibuprofen – An over-the-counter pain reliever can help relieve the pain in your tooth. Both acetaminophen and ibuprofen aim at reducing inflammation and swelling by blocking the enzymes that produce.

Rub the area with Benzocaine – Benzocaine, or Orajel as many know it by, is a topical pain reliever by numbing the nerve endings in the area. With a gel/jelly solution, you can gently rub the gums and tooth with the medicine to help relieve your pain

Use a cold compress – Cold ice will help to reduce the swelling in the surrounding areas of your mouth as well as numb it from pain.

Make an appointment – The sooner you make an appointment, the better off you’ll be. Toothaches overtime can become worse, increasing in pain and potentially be vulnerable to infections.

Tooth Trauma and How to Proceed:

Cracks and knocked out teeth can happen, whether intentionally or not. Blows to the mouth, biting hard foods, and grinding can cause it. Here’s what you can do to reduce the pain and take the necessary precautions to your dental injury

For a child’s primary tooth, apply the area with pressure if there’s bleeding with a cloth or cotton ball. After doing so, call your dental professional as soon as possible.

If an adult tooth gets knocked out of its place, make sure to locate the tooth if possible and rinse it in cold water. Keeping the tooth in a container can help your dentist potentially reinstall the tooth back into its socket so it can heal and reform back into the gums. Make sure that when you find the tooth that you don’t try and clean it or remove any tissue that’s left.

For a chipped or broken tooth, rinse with warm water and place a cold compress on the area. If you are able to locate the pieces, make sure you’re able to keep them in a safe container. Contact your dentist as soon as possible, because immediate treatment can help to prevent infection and help save your tooth.

At Sunset Dental Group, we specialize in caring for our patients. No matter the severity of your toothache or trauma, our team of dental practitioners will be able to handle your teeth with care and professionalism in mind.