Whether you've knocked out a tooth or you've had a filling come loose out of nowhere, dental concerns can be serious and frightening. A dental emergency means you have to go to the dentist office as soon as you can. What you do in the meantime can mean the difference between handling your dental emergency well or needing additional dental care because things could have been managed differently.
What should you do in a dental emergency? Follow this guide for assistance so you do all the right things to manage your dental health well and remain safe until you get to professional care.
Keep the affected area clean
Did you lose a tooth in a sports accident or in a fall? Keep the affected area clean by rinsing out your mouth with fresh cold water to remove debris, but if the tooth is gone and there are nerves exposed, be careful to not damage the roots with excessive exposure to cleaning aides.
If you have access to a salt water rinse, do that to gently remove debris, blood, and bacteria. Keep the affected area clean by keeping your mouth closed over the wound until you can get to the dentist office.
Protect the tooth
Did the tooth lose a filling or dental cap? Did your tooth fall out or crack? Any exposed area of the tooth should be kept away from open air as much as possible. The tooth should be kept in the mouth if it has fallen out, gently bitten down on to keep the tooth in place. If the tooth cannot be put back into the mouth, it should be kept in a clean glass with milk to preserve the root of the tooth.
Never touch the root of the tooth or your gum's roots with your fingers or you risk further damaging your mouth. If you cannot find a missing tooth, then gently pack the open gum space with fresh tissue or a gauze until you can get to the dentist.
See your dentist
See an emergency dentist as soon as you can, even if you feel no pain and you think your dental emergency is minor. If you have ample blood loss or other serious injuries, seek care at your local emergency room or urgent care clinic. You will be referred to an emergency dentist as soon as your other medical emergencies have been cleared. The sooner you seek dental care at your dental clinic, the better your outcome can be.
Contact clinics like Professional Dental Center for more information.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.