Emergency Dental Care- How To Care For Injured Teeth

It's not possible to stop a dental emergency from happening, but understanding what actions to take if one does occur can help minimize the damage and maximize your dental health. Even small injuries should be taken seriously to prevent further complications from arising.
First things first if you experience dental problems with your tooth or other oral structures. Call your regular cosmetic dentist in Aurora and make an appointment right away. The likelihood of your dental injury fully healing and the damaged tooth being saved will depend on how quickly treatment is administered.

Trauma to Teeth
If you break one or multiple teeth, rinse your mouth with warm water and gently remove the pieces. If bleeding occurs, apply gauze to the injured area until the bleeding stops. For swelling, use a cold compress and get to your dentist right away for professional care.

The loss of a tooth may be alarming, but you'll need to act fast in order to save your natural tooth. First, locate the tooth and handle it gently so that you don't damage any attached roots. Then, try to carefully reinsert the tooth back into the socket. If that is too difficult, store the dislocated tooth in a small container of milk or salvia in order to protect it from harmful bacteria. Get to your dentist immediately, taking the tooth as well, in order to preserve the tooth. Unfortunately, not all teeth can be saved, but dental implants are a great alternative for people who are in generally good oral health that have lost their teeth due to an accident. Your implant dentist in Aurora can work with you to restore your smile if your missing tooth can't be replaced.

Oral Tissue Injuries
During a forceful impact, an injury to the tongue, lips, gums or cheeks can easily occur as these tissues are very delicate. Bleeding will almost always follow and can be controlled by applying direct pressure.

First, gently rinse your mouth with a warm salt water solution. To reduce swelling, use a cold compress against the outside of the mouth. If the bleeding doesn't stop or the pain is unbearable, get to your regular dentist or emergency room right away. Your injury may require professional medical attention.

Lost Filling or Crown
Over time, dental fillings and crowns can loosen and fall out. While this isn't necessarily a serious emergency, it's common for the exposed tooth tissue to experience sensitivity and intense pain. You may not experience any symptoms, but since the tooth has lost its support it could be damaged easily.

If your crown detaches, locate the crown and make an appointment to see your Aurora cosmetic dentist as soon as possible. The crown may slip back over the tooth, but you should still see your dentist for a new crown. Waiting to have another crown placed could lead to additional damage as the weak tooth won't be protected. Apply clove oil with a cotton swab to the affected tooth to dull the pain if sensitivity occurs.

Unexpected injuries to the teeth and mouth happen. Prepare yourself now, and prevent further complications from happening. Quick treatment improves your odds of saving injured or damaged teeth, and when you get to your dentist right away, there's a better chance he will be able to repair the dental damage.