What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Before Anything, Contact an Emergency Dentist

The first thing to do if you are experiencing bleeding, unbearable pain, or any dental emergency is not to waste time and contact your dentist as quickly as possible. Only an experienced and qualified emergency dental professional can correctly diagnose and administer treatment for the underlying cause of your dental problem. Therefore, if you are experiencing an emergency, it is critical to seek treatment immediately to minimize the risk of severe damage.

If you cannot reach your dentist, you can follow these basic steps to manage your emergency until you can visit a dental clinic:

Knocked-Out Tooth

A knocked tooth reinserted correctly in its socket within fifteen minutes has a ninety-eight percent likelihood of reimplanting. Visit your dental professional as quickly as possible and take these actions to safeguard your tooth.

• First, find the knocked-out tooth. Pick it by its crown, not its root, to avoid damaging the tooth roots.
• If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently with clean, running water. Avoid scrubbing the tooth or removing any tissue fragments from it.
• The tooth should stay moist. Try to insert the tooth into its socket and make it remain in place by biting on a clean piece of cloth. Do not force the tooth into place.
• If reinserting the tooth is impossible, keep it in your mouth next to your cheek. Another alternative is to put the tooth in a tin with saliva or milk and head to your dentist immediately. Do not put the tooth in tap water. Failure to seek emergency dental help immediately could lead to the death of the nerve in the tooth. You need an emergency dentist’s help to keep the tooth precisely where it should be in your mouth. Sealing the tooth to address the extensive damage may also be necessary.

If the milk tooth is knocked out, exert pressure on the bleeding site. Do not attempt to reinsert the baby tooth in its socket since this might damage the adult tooth developing beneath the gum. Visit your dentist.

Broken Tooth

Broken teeth may result from deep decay, facial trauma, hard objects, et cetera. It requires urgent dental treatment since it exposes your tooth's sensitive inner layers, risking further damage or infection. Take these steps to prevent infection and alleviate any discomfort.

• Use warm water to rinse your mouth. This cleans the site of the affected tooth
• Collect the broken piece or pieces and keep it in saline solution or milk
• Place an ice pack on the outer surface of the tooth to reduce the swelling
• Avoid chewing food using the side where the broken tooth is
• Seal the break or chip with sugarless gum or dental wax
• Go to the dentist immediately, and carry the broken pieces.

Severe Toothache

A toothache can be characterized by dull or sharp pain in or around the tooth, usually caused by gum disease, infections, or cavities. It can also originate from a mouth injury or bad dental hygiene. If you experience a throbbing or sharp, persistent pain, take these steps while waiting to reach your dental professional for treatment:

• Gently clean the area around the aching tooth
• Rinse the mouth using warm water with hydrogen peroxide or salt after eating, brushing, or flossing
• If you are experiencing swelling, apply a cold compress, such as an ice pack, to the outer part of the impacted area for fifteen minutes.
• Do not put aspirin or any other painkiller directly on your gums since it may burn the soft tissues.
• Contact your dental professional and set up an emergency appointment

Soft Tissue Injuries

You can injure your soft tissues (lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue) when you unintentionally bite down on them, are involved in an accident, or eat something too hard or hot. The injuries can also originate from work trauma, sports activities, a knocked-out tooth, or cold, hot, or sharp food. Signs that you have sustained a soft tissue injury include lacerations, bleeding, puncture wounds, tissue flaps, and cuts on the lips’ vermilion edge.

If you have a mouth soft tissue injury, follow these steps to alleviate pain before reaching your dentist:

• Rinse the mouth with antiseptic mouthwash or lukewarm saltwater solution.
• Apply an ice pack for ten to fifteen minutes to reduce swelling and take pain relievers if need be
• If the bleeding does not stop, it may be a severe issue, so you want to visit your dentist as quickly as possible.
• Continue applying pressure to the impacted area until your dentist can treat you.

Lost Crown or Filling

Old and large dental restorations surrounded by decaying dental tissues are susceptible to breakage. For you to save the affected tooth, visit an emergency dental professional to replace the filling or crown as quickly as possible. Follow these steps until you reach your dentist’s office.

• Keep the filling or crown if you manage to find it.
• If you have a dislodged dental crown, a smear of dental adhesive or toothpaste can temporarily secure it in its position.
• Avoid eating hard or sticky food

Swelling or Abscess

An abscess is a pus-filled, painful infection usually arising from untreated gum disease or cavities. It is an emergency since the infection may spread to the brain or lungs, resulting in serious health complications. An abscess could also be highly painful. Before reaching the dentist's office, take the following steps to reduce the seriousness of the infection and manage discomfort:

• Rinse your mouth using warm water with salt several times daily
• Apply a cold compress to the impacted side of the face periodically for fifteen minutes on and off
• Avoid chewing with the side of the mouth where the dental abscess is

Misaligned or Loose Teeth

A misaligned or loose tooth because of trauma should prompt a quick call to an emergency dental professional. Even though you may be capable of putting the tooth in its original position using your finger, never try forcing a misaligned or loose tooth back into its place. You may successfully prevent the tooth from shifting from side to side by biting down with some force. See your emergency dentist as quickly as possible so they can examine the tooth. The dentist may splint the tooth to adjacent teeth for enhanced stability.

General Mouth Pain

If you are experiencing significant mouth pain, it is a sign your body is communicating that something is severely wrong. You should not shrug off significant mouth pain as a symptom that will disappear sooner or later. The only time you can wait for the mouth pain to subside by itself is when it is mild and not persistent.

Even though an ice pack, an anti-inflammatory drug, or rinsing with warm water may reduce mouth pain, you have no guarantee that these steps will alleviate the problem. You need to have a dentist treat significant mouth pain immediately. Most dental professionals recommend that if DIY methods to reduce mouth pain fail to work in thirty minutes, visiting an emergency dental professional is necessary.

Mouth Injury

If a trauma leads to an injury to the jaw, the jawline might appear dislocated or crooked. Keep your face as motionless as you can and seek emergency help promptly. If you cut or bite your lip, tongue, or cheek, take these steps.

• Remain calm—mouth tissues contain several blood vessels, so even a minor injury may appear worse than it is.
• Wash the region gently and apply a moist towel or gauze to control bleeding. Apply pressure until you stop bleeding. Once you stop bleeding, apply an ice pack to minimize swelling.
• Visit your physician or the nearest emergency room or urgent care if you do not stop bleeding in fifteen minutes, the cut or injury is deep and extends to the face, or there is a puncture through the cheek or lip.
• Most injuries to the mouth heal properly by themselves, but it is critical to maintain cleanliness in the area to prevent infections. To assist the wound in healing quickly, rinse using salt water or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water (in a ratio of 1:1) multiple times a day.
• Call your doctor or dentist if you notice symptoms of an infection, such as pus, swelling, fever, redness widening around the injury site, or the wound remaining painful or tender.
• Consult an orthodontist if you have braces and a loose wire or bracket cut into cheeks or gums. They can give you dental wax or recommend other ways to alleviate the issue temporarily until you reach the dental office.

Cracked, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth

A chipped tooth may not cause significant pain or any pain at all. A chipped tooth that does not cause pain is not considered an emergency. In that case, you can wait one or two days to see your dentist. Chew carefully to prevent further chipping.

On the other hand, you have a genuine dental emergency if your tooth is cracked or fractured. Fractured or cracked teeth are generally a sign of damage to the exterior and interior of the tooth. Some fractures and cracks are so serious that saving a tooth may be impossible. This is why you must contact your emergency dental professional immediately if you have one or multiple fractured or cracked teeth. In the meantime, before reaching your dentist, you can take the following steps:

• Rinse your mouth using water and assess for temperature sensitivity, rough edges, or pain.
• If trauma to the face results in a cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth, place an ice pack on the site to minimize swelling
• Visit your dental professional immediately and bring the tooth fragments (if any).

Treatments To Expect At The Dentist

When you visit a dentist with a dental emergency, they will evaluate your situation and determine the best treatment to administer. Some of the treatments that can assist in alleviating a dental emergency include the following:

Dental Crowns

A damaged or broken tooth could be a stressful and painful dental emergency. Fortunately, crowns provide a reliable solution that can restore the appearance and strength of the affected tooth. Crowns are caps placed on top of the damaged or broken tooth. They are made of long-lasting materials that protect the tooth and avert future damage.

 If you have developed a large cavity or chipped tooth, dental crown placement is a standard procedure that emergency dentists often recommend. With assistance from a skilled dental professional, you can receive the treatment you require to maintain the strength and healthiness of your teeth.

Dental Implants

A dental-related emergency can prove disastrous. However, what if the emergency is the appropriate time to consider dental implants? Dental implants are durable and among the perfect solutions for damaged or missing teeth, and a dental emergency can sometimes trigger oral surgeries and tooth extractions. Dental implants function and look like original teeth, providing a permanent solution to restore your oral health and confidence.

Root Canal

Nobody wishes to hear the term root canal. However, at times it is needed to save a tooth. Once you visit your dentist for emergency dental treatment, they will determine whether you must undergo the root canal procedure to safeguard your dental health. A root canal is usually associated with discomfort, although anesthesia and modern techniques mean the procedure is no more intricate than a dental filling. Your dental professional will guide you through the procedure, ensuring you are comfortable and well-informed.

Find a Reliable Emergency Dentist Near Me

A dental emergency requires swift action and urgent professional care. Whereas at-home remedies can give temporary relief, seeing a dental professional to address the underlying problem and avert recurrence is critical. Our Dr Joseph Goodman Clinic offers exceptional emergency dental care services to relieve our patients' pain and restore their smiles. Our emergency dentists are on call 24/7 to address dental problems after hours. They will assess your emergency and provide the best possible solution. If you are experiencing any dental emergency and are seeking treatment in Beverly Hills, do not hesitate to contact us at 310-860-9311.