Emergency dental accidents can happen under variety of circumstances (during everyday activities such as eating, exercising, playing) and are hard to predict. Regardless of how or what caused a dental emergency, one thing is certain – you should never ignore emergency dental problem, no matter how tiny it may seem to you. Even the smallest problem can easily turn into a big one (usually that’s the case) that can lead to serous tooth damage or, in the worst cases, tooth loss. With that being said, it is important for you to know what to do in case of a dental emergency.
Most common emergency dental problems are: toothaches, breaking a tooth, biting tongue or cheeks and object being stuck between the teeth. Of course, first and foremost, contact your dentist right away. He/She should be available for emergency cases at all times (including weekends and holidays). Explain your problem in detail to ensure your dentist gives you the right advice.
In case your dentist is not available (dealing with other emergency, on a vacation or business trip, etc.), here’s what you can do in case some of the aforementioned emergency dental problems occur.
Toothache
– Rinse your mount with lukewarm water to clean mouth and teeth;
– With dental floss remove the debris of food inside or between teeth;
– Apply ice or other cold compress to the swollen area on your cheek;
– Do not apply medications such as aspirin directly to the surface of the aching tooth.
Breaking a Tooth
– Rinse mouth with water to remove a broken piece;
– Save the broken pieces and take it with you to your dentist;
– To relieve pain, apply some cold compress outside the aching area;
– If there’s a bleeding, stop it with the sterilized gauze.
Object Stuck Between The Teeth
– Use dental floss to try to remove the object that is stuck between the teeth;
– If you can’t remove the object with a dental floss, visit your dentist as soon as possible;
– Don’t use sharp objects to remove the stuck object as this can damage teeth enamel.
Biting Tongue, Lips or Cheeks
– Rinse your mouth with a lukewarm water and solution;
– With sterilized gauze (moistened) apply pressure to the bleeding area;
– To prevent swelling apply cold compress on the outer side of the affected area.
