What Can You Do If You Have A Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies happen when you least expect them. They can happen when playing sports, biting into a too hard candy or even eating popcorn kernels. When you have a dental emergency such as a cracked tooth or even a tooth that was knocked out, there are some things you can do that could potentially save your tooth before you head to the dentist to have it fixed.

Knocked Out Tooth

If your tooth gets knocked out playing sports or any other freak accident, it is important to keep the area as moist as you can. If possible, try placing the knocked out tooth into the socket without touching the root. If you are unable to do this, then keep the tooth in between your teeth and gums, or place it in milk. You can also use a tooth preservation product that has been approved by the American Dental Association. It's a good idea to keep the tooth in the event the dentist is able to re-attach it. Once you have preserved the tooth, head to your dentist right away.

Cracked Tooth

If you have a cracked tooth, it could lead to an infection should bacteria get stuck in the cracked area. When you discover your tooth is cracked, immediately wash it out with warm water to clean the broken region. If you find your gum is swelling or in pain, then take a cold compress and place it on your cheek on the side of the swelling until it goes down and the pain eases. Don't put aspirin or any other painkiller in the cracked area to ease pain.

Tongue or Cheek Bite

It can be very painful if you bite your tongue or cheek and if you don't treat it properly, it could get infected. If you have bitten your tongue or cheek, clean the area gently using water and apply a cold compress to bring down swelling. This will also help with pain too. If your bite is severe enough, then you might want to head to the dentist to check for any damage that might have been caused, otherwise, keep an eye on the area to see if any infection has set in.

Toothaches

Toothaches are painful and are sometimes caused by infections in the tooth or gum area. If you have a toothache, rinse the area with warm water and gently use dental floss to remove any food that might have gotten stuck after eating. You can check for signs of infection like red, swollen gums or for cracked teeth. You can take an aspirin for pain, but don't use it in the area itself and then head to the dentist to see what might be causing the issue.

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