Insightful Tips on Handling Dental Emergencies
Losing your teeth is a dreadful ordeal that comes unexpectedly on most occasions. Our teeth were designed for longevity and, if possible last a lifetime. This isn’t always the case. In America only, almost 40 million people have lost at least a tooth in their lifetime.
The nature of dental emergencies is that they aren’t planned. This means that in case you are in an emergency, you will need an emergency dentist near you to attend to you.
There are many reasons why dental emergencies happen, and the sooner you go to our dentist in Brooklyn, NY, the higher the chances that your problem will be resolved.
In case you encounter a scenario, and you aren’t sure if it’s an emergency or not, here are some insightful tips.
Dental Emergencies
Here are some of the dental emergencies:
- Knocked-Out Teeth
Knocked-out teeth happen during accidents and can cause severe injuries. If you find yourself in such a scenario, your response time will determine whether your tooth will be reattached or not.
What you do in such a case is you pick up your tooth by the crown, not the root. Rinse the tooth with running water, and do not scrub it. If possible, try returning it back into the socket. Try biting it down while gently holding it in place.
If you find inserting it in the socket, it challenging, then place it in a cup of milk. After you have done this, call our dentist in Brooklyn, NY.
- Chipped or Fractured Teeth
Most of the time, a cracked tooth can be classified as a non-emergency. But at times, there can be a fracture that runs from inside the tooth to the outside. The crack can be severe that your tooth cannot be salvaged.
If this happens, wash your mouth with warm water. If an accident caused the fracture, then apply a cold compress on your face to help reduce any swelling. Please do not use any painkiller on the gum since it will cause a burning sensation.
An X-Ray will be taken by our dentist to determine the scope of the damage. If the pulp is damaged, then you might need root canal treatment. If the pulp is okay, then you might be given a crown.
- Loose Teeth or Misaligned Teeth
When your teeth are misaligned or loose, call our dentist immediately. While you are heading to the dentist, try to push the teeth gently back to their position. Please do not force it. You can also try to gently bite down the teeth to reduce the movement of the teeth.
- Soft Tissue Injury
Injuries inside the mouth can be severe dental emergencies. If you have lacerations, puncture wounds, tears on the cheeks, lips, and tongue, you might need an emergency dentist. If you have any tissue injury, wash the injured area with warm water. Try to control the bleeding using a gauze.
If your tongue is bleeding, put some pressure on the tongue using a gauze. Then wait for the dentist to have a look at it.
- Tooth Abscess
Gum disease or tooth decay can cause a severe infection at the root. The longer the infection remains untreated, it becomes excruciating and causes even severe complications. To avoid such problems, go to our dentist immediately.
- Damaged Braces
Damaged braces can be a dental emergency if the wires that hold the braces break. They can cause injuries to the mouth. Do not try to fix it yourself since you can easily swallow the wire.
When Is It an Emergency?
There instances when a chipped tooth or even lacerations might not be dental emergencies. If an issue can wait for a day or two before it is resolved, then it is not an emergency.
If you are still uncertain about your situation, answer the following questions:
- Do you feel severe pain?
- Is the bleeding excessive?
- Are your teeth loose?
- Is the mouth or jaw area swollen?
- Do your gums have knots or swellings?
If the answer is yes to the above questions, then you have a dental emergency. When you contact our dentist, it is best if you explain the specific events as they occurred.
If you need immediate attention, contact our dental office near Bath beach, Benson Hurst, Mapleton, and Gravesend, to book an appointment. We at new leaf Dental are well equipped to handle any dental emergencies.