Emergency Dental Care

 

General emergency info

Any injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment down the road. If you feel you are in need of urgent assistance please contact your dentist and/or visit your closest emergency care facility.

Here's a quick summary of what you may consider for dental problems.


Toothaches

Thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. See your dentist as soon as possible.


Chipped or Broken Teeth

Save any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If there is bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. See your dentist as soon as possible.


Knocked-out Tooth

Retrieve the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the proper direction in the mouth. Never force it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available) or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, see your dentist or visit your nearest emergency facility as quickly as possible. Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour or less of being knocked out.


Partially Dislodged Tooth

See your dentist right away. Until you reach your dentist's office, to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area. If you are not allergic, take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Tylenol or Advil) if needed.


Objects Caught Between Teeth

First, try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can't get the object out, see your dentist. Never use a pin or other sharp object to poke at the object. These instruments can cut gum tissue &/or scratch tooth surface.


Lost Filling

As a temporary measure, an over-the-counter dental cement may be purchaseed at your local pharmacy. See your dentist as soon as possible.


Lost Crown

If a crown falls off, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible and bring the crown to your appointment. If you can't get to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing discomfort, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil can be purchased at your local drug store or in the spice aisle of your grocery store). If possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, you may coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter dental wax, dental cement, or denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Please do not use super glue!


Abscess

Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.

Because of the serious oral health and general health problems that can result from an abscess, see your dentist as soon as possible if you discover a pimple-like swelling on your gum that usually is painful. In the meantime, to ease the discomfort, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day.


Soft-tissue Injuries

Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips, can result in serious bleeding. To control bleeding, you may try the following:

  1. Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
  2. Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. If the bleeding doesn't stop and/or you are need of professional assistance please, see your dentist right away or go to a local emergency care facility. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated. Do not allow bleeding to continue without professional care, seek immediate medical attention from your dentist or emergency care facility.

Thomas Clark
Family Dentistry

3410 West Purdue
Muncie, IN 47304


765-747-9545


Our philosophy utilizes a caring team approach to provide our patients with the highest level of dental care, comfort, function, and appearance in a friendly family environment.

At Thomas R. Clark, DDS Family Dentistry, we believe success is measured by satisfied patients, and we hope to become your dentist for life.