Our Saint Louis dentists know that there isn’t anything that we can do to make dental emergencies fun and completely stress-free, but there are things that we can do to ease your mind a bit when you’re faced with dental trauma! That is why, today, we are giving you some tips on how to prepare for, and deal with, dental emergencies when they do occur.
And, as always, you can contact our dental team if you have specific questions about preventive and restorative dental care.
Here are some common dental emergencies that pop up:
· Knocked out tooth
· Chipped or cracked tooth
· Sudden dental pain
· Cut/bleeding gum tissue
If you experience these issues keep these things in mind:
Pain management
If you are dealing with a painfully infected tooth or pain related to tooth loss, you can use an icy compress to numb the area from the outside of the cheek. Unless otherwise advised by your dentist, it is best to avoid applying numbing agents or medications directly to the affected area, as this can irritate your tissues.
Preparing to see your dentist
Once you’ve experienced a dental emergency, you want to see your dentist as soon as possible—ideally within an hour or two after dental damage. If you have knocked out a tooth, there are a few things that you can do to try and keep your tooth viable for as long as possible. If your tooth easily and comfortably fits back into your gum tissue, you can hold it in place in your mouth until you see your dentist. If that doesn’t work for you, place the tooth in milk, or hold the tooth in your cheek with some milk. It is also a good idea to refrain from disturbing any remaining oral tissues that may be attached to the tooth.
And remember, our Saint Louis dentists are here for you in a dental emergency!