What to Do in Case of Dental Emergency

Injuries to the mouth are usually very painful and can be quite dangerous, therefore they should be treated by a dentist as soon as possible. Oral injuries may include fractured, loosened, forced out of position or knocked out teeth. Gums, lips and cheeks are often cut, as well. We have asked an experienced Bendigo dentist what we should do in case of dental emergency and here’s what we have found out!

First of all, you should call your dentist immediately for an emergency appointment. If your tooth is knocked out, you should handle it by the crown, not the root. You should rinse the tooth in water, but try not to scrub. Additionally, don’t let the tooth dry out before your appointment.

When a tooth is pushed out of position, what should you do? Without forcing the tooth, try using very light finger pressure to reposition the tooth to its normal alignment. In order to keep tooth from moving, bite down.

In case a tooth is fractured, first of all, rinse your mouth with warm water and use a cold compress or ice pack to reduce swelling. If you experience toothache, use ibuprofen for pain. Since only a dentist can see how bad the break is, it’s important to go to the nearest dental clinic to get the proper treatment.

We risk breaking our teeth or otherwise injuring a mouth while exercising, playing and eating. Therefore, it’s of high importance to understand what we can do in case of dental emergency. To prepare yourself, you can pack an emergency dental care kit which should include your dentist’s phone number, handkerchief, gauze, ibuprofen (not the Aspirin!), saline solution and very small container with lid. Just don’t panic and call your dentist immediately to explain what happened and you’ll get further instructions on what to do before an appointment.