Any dental emergency like an injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment later on.
Here’s a quick summary of what to do for some common dental problems.
- Tooth Knocked Out
A tooth can get knocked out when impacted by force while playing sports or when falling. Dentists consider a knocked out tooth a situation that requires urgent dental care.
If your tooth is knocked out or you have lost your tooth, it is vital you follow each of these steps to increase your chances of saving the tooth.
Generally, your chances to save the natural tooth decrease after 30-60 minutes. Here are some tip if your tooth has come out of the socket, and you can locate your tooth:
- – Stay calm.
- – Contact your dentist.
- – Hold the tooth by the crown only, which is the part used to chew food.
- – Just rinse the tooth in water. Do not rub or agitate the tooth, and do not use soap or chemicals. Do not wash any tissue still on the root of the tooth.
- – The best way to preserve the tooth is to hold it in the socket that it came from. If this is not possible, then place the tooth in a container of milk or your saliva.
- – Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- – Apply a cold compress to your face in the area of the injury.
- Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth
See your dentist right away. Until you reach your dentist’s office, to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if needed.
- Objects caught between teeth
First, try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can’t get the object out, see your dentist immediately.
- Broken braces and wires
If a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking your cheek, tongue, or gum, try using the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into a more comfortable position. If you can’t reposition the wire, cover the end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you can get to your orthodontist’s office. Never cut the wire, as you could end up swallowing it or breathing it into your lungs.
- Loose brackets and bands
Temporarily reattach loose braces with a small piece of orthodontic wax. Alternatively, place the wax over the braces to provide a cushion. See your orthodontist as soon as possible. If the problem is a loose band, save it and call your orthodontist for an appointment to have it recemented or replaced (and to have missing spacers replaced).
- Soft-tissue injuries
Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here’s what to do:
- Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
- Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
- To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
- If the bleeding doesn’t stop, see your dentist right away or go to a hospital emergency room. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.