What are dental emergencies? Any situation where you’re in pain, unable to eat, can’t sleep, or have to stay home from work/school. Unfortunately, emergencies tend to happen when you least expect them. You might be out of town on the weekend or after the dentist’s office closes for the day. Or perhaps you’re in the middle of a ball game and take an elbow to the mouth.
Quick action will help prevent further complications. When you know what to do for a toothache or other dental emergency, it lowers your stress levels and helps alleviate pain more quickly. These are the basics to know, depending on the type of emergency that you’re experiencing…
Broken Tooth
Chipped and broken teeth are one of the top dental emergencies we see. Especially in kids and athletes. If the broken fragment is fairly large, we will want to try to bond it back into place. Otherwise we can smooth out your tooth or apply tooth-colored composite bonding to rebuild that area.
First and foremost, store the tooth fragment in an airtight container. To keep it moist, cover it with milk. Contact solution works too. If none of those are available, tap water is also an option, but you will need to add a pinch of salt to it.
For best results, be sure to visit your dentist within the first 1-2 hours. In the meantime, don’t chew on that area and if you need to, take some ibuprofen for pain relief.
Knocked Out Teeth
You should manage a knocked-out tooth in the same way as the instructions above for broken teeth, but there are some extra precautions to take. First, never touch the root of the tooth if possible. You can rinse off any debris with a slow, steady stream of water, but don’t scrub the root. This could cause problems with re-implantation. If you are able to do so, push the tooth back into its socket. If it is not possible, don’t force it. Instead, follow the instructions for broken teeth (above) and bring your tooth to our office as quickly as possible. We’ll attempt to reinsert it if possible or discuss a tooth replacement alternative.
Toothaches and Dental Abscess
What are dental emergencies usually caused by? Often it’s tooth pain as a result of inflammation. The swelling can be caused by either an abscess, or a gum infection. Cavities may also cause severe sensitivity because of how they irritate the nerve inside of teeth.
To reduce swelling, you can use an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Motrin (ibuprofen), and rinse with warm saltwater. Keep in mind that if you’re taking an antibiotic, you will still need to have the tooth treated so that reinfection does not occur. If you’re worried about how much is emergency dental care going to cost, we will get you out of pain first and then discuss which treatment options you have available. The last thing we want is for you to not get pain relief because of your concern over treatment prices.
Broken Filling, Crown, or Bridge
Some of the most common reasons why people call our dentist in Moorpark, CA are because of broken dental work.
Be careful not to chew on that area. If your restoration fell out, place it in a zip-top bag and bring it with you to your appointment. Some restorations can be bonded back while others need to be replaced entirely. We can either schedule you in a few days or see you right away depending on what is broken. In the meantime, you may want to get a temporary filling kit at the pharmacy. Just keep in mind it will not provide reinforcement for chewing but it can help prevent food from getting into the area and may reduce sensitivity. Whatever you do, do not attempt to glue your restoration back in by yourself.
Where To Go For Dental Emergencies
Emergency dentistry is available for all ages at Dental Smiles Studio. New patients are always welcome. If you’re trying to figure out what to do for dental emergencies, we can either arrange our schedule to see you that day, or give you instructions over the phone.
Are you in pain? Wondering where to go for dental emergencies? Contact our dentist in Moorpark, CA today for an emergency dental appointment.
