What To Do In A Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies come up unexpectedly, and often at the most inconvenient times possible. Murphy’s law, right? Do you have a plan if you or a family member such as a child or elderly parent experience a dental emergency?
Let’s talk about the most common types of emergencies we get calls about, and what you can do to be prepared.
Tooth injury
Injuries typically occur to front teeth, but any tooth in the mouth could be injured. Injuries can happen at home from falling or playing with siblings, at work, and while playing sports- team and individual. Teeth can become knocked out of place, broken, loosened, or even knocked out.
If the tooth is broken, try to find the piece(s) and bring them to your dental appointment.
If the tooth is knocked out, handle it carefully! If it’s an adult tooth, touch only the crown (the part of the tooth you normally see in the mouth) and not the root. If possible, reinsert permanent tooth into the correct socket and have the person bite on a gauze pad to hold the tooth in place.
If you can't reinsert the permanent tooth, or for tooth fragments, store them in whole milk, saline solution, or between your cheek and gum to prevent drying.
If the permanent tooth is knocked out of place but still in the mouth, try to push it back into place.
Contact us asap!
Phone monitored for after-hours emergencies.
Broken teeth or broken fillings
If a tooth breaks, try to find the fragment and bring it with you to your appointment.
Broken teeth can feel sensitive or painful, so avoid hot or cold foods until the break can be repaired. Also try to avoid chewing on the tooth in question until it can be checked out.
Broken teeth or fillings often become food traps and are difficult to clean. This makes broken teeth prone to getting cavities or infections quickly. Make sure to call and sent an appointment us asap!
We take broken front teeth seriously. If your front tooth is broken, after-hours, please let us know so we can help you get back to your normal life.
Contact us asap!
Phone monitored for after-hours emergencies.
Tooth pain
Most people describe acute tooth pain as worse than childbirth. The point is that it is miserable. Tooth pain can be a sign of many different problems, so it is important to get it checked out ASAP.
Avoid chewing on the painful tooth, avoid hot or cold stimuli, and do your best to keep the area clean.
Contact us asap!
Phone monitored for after-hours emergencies.
Infection / swelling
Any swelling of the face, jaw, or sinus area can be life threatening if not addressed swiftly. If someone is experiencing swelling of the face with an extreme, sudden onset or if there is swelling below the eye or under the jaw, go to the ER immediately. These types of infections need immediate treatment.
Contact us asap!
Phone monitored for after-hours emergencies.
TMJ pain
TMJ pain can have many variations of symptoms including tooth pain, jaw pain, clicking, popping, locking jaw, and more.
The treatment for TMJ problems are varied since there are many different diagnoses related to TMJ pain.
Simple home care remedies until you can be examined include soft foods, alternating warm/cold compresses on the chewing muscles, OTC NSAIDs as needed, and avoid chewing gum or other chewy foods.
In any of these cases, it is important to first ensure medical safety. If the person is experiencing a medical emergency, it is important to call 911 ASAP.
If the person has any injury to their jaw, a trip to the ER or Oral Surgeon may be warranted.
If the person can take NSAIDs safely, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen can be used to reduce pain and inflammation. Please be sure to follow dosing instruction given. A soft diet is typically recommended in these cases until healing can be achieved. Keep the affected area clean with brushing and flossing as much as possible.
Finally, if you are experience any of these problems, please give us a call.
We are happy to be your emergency dentist in Roanoke, VA.
If you experience an after-hours emergency, please leave a voicemail on our emergency voicemail line.
Call (540) 904-4020
Choose option 2 and leave a detailed message with your contact information.