Dental Emergencies

What situations are dental emergencies?

Here’s a list that WebMD lists as dental emergencies. If any of these occur, let your dentist know right away and see him as soon as possible.

One of the Most Devastating Dental Emergencies: What Should You Do If You Knock Out a Tooth?

Sometimes a knocked out tooth can be saved if you take the right actions. You should hold the tooth by the crown, and if it’s dirty, rinse off the tooth root with water. Don’t scrub it or remove tissue fragments. If at all possible, try to put the tooth back in the socket, but don’t force it and make sure it’s facing the right direction. If you can’t reinsert it into the socket, then put it in a container of milk. If you don’t have milk, put it into a cup of water that contains a pinch of salt. Your best chance of saving the tooth is if you can see the dentist within one hour from when the injury knockout occurred.

What Should You Do If You Chip or Break Off a Piece of Tooth?

Save the broken pieces and rinse them off with water. Rinse your mouth with warm water, and if there’s bleeding, apply gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until there’s no more bleeding. You can hold a cold compress to the outside of the cheek, mouth, and lip or near the damaged tooth to keep it from swelling and for pain relief. You should see your dentist as soon as possible.

Follow up with Regular Checkups

Schedule your dental appointments at Hutto Hippo Family Dental. Dr. Baker can help you keep your gums and teeth healthy.