Sudden toothaches, knocked-out teeth, or broken crowns can be scary and painful experiences. Dental emergencies, by their very nature, are unpredictable and require immediate treatment to ease pain, stop further harm, and enhance the prospects of a positive outcome. Therefore, knowing how to act in an emergency calmly and effectively can do wonders for the outcome in the long run. Cosmetic dentistry Barrie might include such treatments as part of regular dental care, but a true dental emergency requires immediate action. Let us look at the five best tips to abide by during a dental emergency.
- Stay Calm and Assess the Situation: While panic might be an immediate reaction, try to take a deep breath and calm yourself. This will help you think clearly. Analyze the nature of the injury and the surrounding circumstances. Find out exactly what has occurred and how much pain you are feeling. These details will prove helpful when you speak to your dentist or look for emergency dental care. Whenever possible, avoid touching the area to limit irritation or infection. Try to determine if the person is bleeding, from where, and how severe it is.
- Stop Bleeding: Bleeding from the mouth is terrifying, but most of the time it can be controlled at home. Knocked-out tooth or severe cut inside the mouth demands putting gentle-but-firm pressure on the area with clean gauze or cloth for 15-20 minutes or until the bleeding ceases. If the bleeding is heavy and does not appear to stop, go to the nearest emergency room. For sore tooth or minor injury, rinsing the mouth gently with warm water helps to wash away blood and debris.
- Treat Pain and Swelling: Dental emergencies bring ruthless pain to any sufferer. Over-the-counter analgesics such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen provide relief for the pain while awaiting treatment. Adhere to directions on the insert or packaging. The cold compress or ice pack should be applied to the outside of the cheek by the injured area to lessen swelling and numb the pain. This should be intermittently done for 15-20 minutes per hour, several times throughout the day. Do not apply heat as this may worsen swelling in some areas.
- Save a Knocked-Out Tooth: A permanently knocked-out tooth has the best chance for successful reimplantation if handled well and after meeting a dentist immediately, preferably within one hour. When handling the tooth, grasp it only by the crown (chewing surface) and avoid touching the root. Carefully rinse the tooth with milk or saline to remove any dirt or debris; do not scrub it. Attempt to gently place the tooth back into its socket. If this is not possible, store the tooth in a container of milk, in your saliva, or a commercial tooth preservation solution and take it with you to your emergency dental appointment.
- Get Into Contact with an Emergency Dentist Immediately: Once you’ve assessed everything and taken measures to address bleeding and pain, the very next crucial step is to get in touch with your dentist. Explain what the whole affair is about and abide by whatever instructions they give you. Most dentists will have procedures in place to deal with emergencies and may be able to see you quite soon after your call. If your dentist is closed or the emergency is dire (for example, whereby bleeding cannot be controlled, major trauma, and trouble breathing), do not even think twice: go to the nearest hospital emergency room for care. They can treat your injury at least initially and stabilize you until you get to see a dentist.
How you handle a dental emergency goes a long way to save the situation. Keep calm, staunch any bleeding, treat the pain, preserve the knocked-out tooth properly, and get professional care fast to reduce further damage and preserve what recovery may come for your smile. Always keep your dentist’s number close by, and don’t hesitate to seek help when something unthinkable happens.
