Emergency Dental Treatment
Guide to Surviving a Dental Emergency
An emergency dental treatment is extremely important. When faced with a dental emergency, you have to know what to do. If you react to a dental emergency the right way and are able to provide emergency treatment, such first aid response can actually spell the difference between a successful treatment procedure and an unsuccessful hopeless case wherein the only solution, most times, is an extraction or artificial tooth. As a specific example, those who get their teeth knocked out by some reason have greater chances of saving their lost teeth if they go to the dentist right away.
You never know when dental emergencies will strike, so it helps to always be prepared even for the unforeseen. If you or any of your family members or friends are in a dental emergency, you can help them save their teeth by responding in the correct way.
What to Remember in the Face of Dental Emergencies
- How to Keep Knocked Out Teeth Clean
- How to Reduce Pain and Inflammation
- How to Stop Bleeding
1. How to Keep Knocked Out Teeth Clean
There are many circumstances, problems, accidents, and injuries that can end up in one or more teeth getting knocked out from their sockets. This is one of the most painful dental emergencies as the teeth are usually pulled out from the roots. In any situation where a tooth is removed accidentally from the mouth, you should always remember to hold on to the tooth and keep it safe and clean. You never know whether there is still a possibility to put the tooth back, so just take time to take care for the lost tooth.
How can you do this? First, always remember that you are not supposed to hold the tooth by the roots, so you should only hold by the crown, the area that is exposed when the tooth is still in the mouth. Next, you can keep it clean until you reach your dentist’s clinic by putting it in a glass of milk or in a glass of water mixed with some salt. This will hold on to the freshness and life in the tooth, raising chances of saving the knocked out tooth.
So remember, in case of accidental removal of teeth, always look for the missing tooth first. Even if you see the tooth on the ground, pick it up and put it under running water for a few minutes to completely rinse it off. Make sure, however, not to scrub as this will remove any soft tissues that still managed to hold on to the tooth. You may also try and put the tooth back in its socket if you can and if this does not cause you much pain.
Then make sure that you reach your dentist within an hour for an emergency dental treatment.
2. How to Reduce Pain and Inflammation
If the dental emergency causes pain and inflammation, get a cold compress and apply it on the area where the affected tooth is. This is only first aid, so you need to go see a dentist right away. Try not to take any pain medication yet without seeing your dentist first. But if there is too much pain, you may take either Tylenol or Advil. If the pain is not too bad, you can also try applying clove oil to ease it.
3. How to Stop Bleeding
If there is bleeding, the first thing you need to do is to control the bleeding. If you have a first aid kit, get a piece of cotton or gauze and press it over the area where the bleeding comes from. Continuous bleeding can be risky to your health, so seek emergency dental treatment right away.
The Difference of An Hour in Dental Emergencies
Anything you can do after a dental emergency cannot possibly take the place of emergency dental treatment provided by an actual dentist. Most dentists have one thing to say about dental emergencies, especially when teeth are destabilized or knocked out: they have higher chances of saving the tooth if you get it to them within an hour. First aid is usually necessary for damage control, but make sure to go straight to the doctor – that’s the best damage control there is.
More Resources :
Web MD on do it yourself dentistry in case of a dental emergency
UK readers : how to access NHS dentist outside hours
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