What to Do in a Dental Emergency

A dental emergency can present itself in many forms. They can range from an unbearable, middle-of-the-night toothache, to a fall or accident resulting in broken teeth. Your crowns may suddenly come off, or perhaps your cheeks or gums have gotten cut. Whatever the emergency, it is important to keep calm, and contact a dentist as soon as possible. If it is an odd hour, and your dentist is not available, you should visit an emergency medical room or see an emergency dentist.

Below is a list of Do’s in case of a dental emergency:

• If you have a toothache, rinse your mouth with warm water, and use floss for removing any food particles that may be stuck in between your teeth.
• If there is any swelling in the mouth, you should apply a cold compress to your cheek.
• If there is a broken tooth, rinse the mouth thoroughly. If there is bleeding, take a piece of gauze, and apply it for about ten minutes, if bleeding doesn’t stop. It would help to apply a cold compress on the outside as well. It will lessen both the pain and swelling. Remember to save the pieces of the broken tooth, and rinse it if dirty. Try to take it to the emergency dentist within an hour to be restored.
• If a cap or crown falls off, you should see your dentist immediately. If it is not possible to do so, and you are experiencing pain, use a cotton swab with a few drops of clove oil on the tooth.
• In case of a dental abscess, see your dentist to prevent the infection from spreading. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with mild salt water every few hours.
• If you have accidentally cut yourself on soft tissues like your gums, tongue, lips, or cheek and there is bleeding, use mild salt water to rinse your mouth. Apply pressure to the area with the help of a slightly wet piece of gauze or a tea bag. If the cut is still bleeding, visit an emergency dentist at the earliest.

Remember, in a dental emergency, you must visit a dentist to prevent complications. If your regular dentist is not available, contact an emergency dentist in North York right away. For more information, visit http://worlddental.ca/teeth-cleaning-scaling.

Here are some of the Don’ts when facing a dental emergency:

• Never take aspirin for a tooth or for gums that are causing you pain, as it may burn the gum tissue. Rather, take ibuprofen, if required.
• If there is any food or other object lodged between your teeth, never use any sharp objects to take it out as it may end up doing more harm than good.
• Do not neglect your problem or try to make do with home treatment. It is important to see a dentist who can assess the extent of the damage, and decide on the proper course of action.
• Do not try to affix a dislodged crown with the help of over-the-counter adhesives.

As you never know when a dental emergency may strike, be prepared. Most people have a first aid kit at home. Make sure you have the following items in it:

• Contact information of an emergency dentist or medical room;
• Gauze;
• Cotton;
• Ibuprofen;
• Clove oil.

To avoid such situations, it is better to make regular visits to the dentist for cleaning and examining. Apart from this, you should consider wearing a mouthguard when playing sports, and never try to use your teeth as a tool. It’s worth taking the time to find the scissors! Also, if you have implants or crowns, avoid chewing hard and sticky objects.

Do not neglect dental emergencies. Call an emergency dentist in North York now!