Dental emergencies can occur anytime, but if you aren't sure what to do if you have a dental emergency, you could end up with more pain or more damage to your teeth, mouth or gums. A dental emergency can be tooth pain, a broken or chipped tooth, or a tooth that has been knocked out. See below for tips on how to handle dental emergencies in the event you find yourself or someone you love with a dental problem.
Toothache
Think about if you ate something that could have irritated your tooth, or if you bit something that may have caused the problem. If you think it may have been something you ate, rinse out your mouth with warm water to get anything out that may be stuck in your teeth. If this didn't do the trick, try to brush your teeth or even floss them to get anything out that may be stuck. If you still have pain, see your dentist in case you have a cracked tooth. Take some over-the-counter pain reliever to help alleviate the pain until you can get to your dentist and avoid extremely hot or cold foods (which may irritate your tooth) in the meantime.
Chipped Or Cracked tooth
If you have a chipped or cracked tooth, you should see your dentist right away to see what can be done about it. If the tooth was chipped, place the chip in a small glass of milk and take it to the dentist with you. The chipped piece may be able to be put back into place, especially if it was a large chip. Cracked teeth may need to be sealed in order to save the tooth and prevent the tooth from rotting.
Broken Tooth
If your tooth is broken or has fallen out, find the tooth and save it. Clean the tooth with warm water, don't use soap or anything else to clean it. Then place the tooth in either water or milk. Take the tooth to your dentist to see if it can be put back in. If the tooth that was knocked out is a baby tooth, you should still see the dentist to be sure there isn't any damage to the adult tooth still in the gums, or to the gums. An adult tooth will grow in, so a knocked out baby tooth doesn't need to be replaced.
Dental emergencies can be painful and scary. For more information, contact a business such as Family 1st Dental.
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