What to Do During a Dental Emergency

decayed tooth, a dental mirror and a red suitcase with white crossPoor dental hygiene coupled with not attending regular checkups can be a detriment to your natural grin. In fact, many dental concerns can be addressed with simple restorative procedures if caught early enough in the process. But what happens when a dental emergency occurs, and how do you handle it? If you or your family need emergency care to preserve your smile, your Cleveland, TX dentist at Cleveland Family Dentistry can help and encourages you to adhere the following steps in order to aid your grin and protect your health.

Remain Calm

While it may seem contrary to your initial instincts, remaining calm is the first step to acting accordingly to address your dental concerns. Whether you experience a dislodged or broken tooth, or another accident that results in pain, aching, and stress, your body could potentially be in shock. Experiencing a traumatic situation such as this can affect you in different ways. You may be extremely calm and disoriented, or you may be fully panicking. Regardless of the circumstance, the most important thing to keep in mind is that staying calm will help you better address your dental emergency effectively.

Act with Efficiency

In addition to staying calm, you will want to act with efficiency to best address your emergency. This means having a plan in place to get to your dentist’s office. Depending on the level of severity, you may want to contact a friend or relative to assist you by taking you to the dentist just in case they need to provide sedation to address your concern, or in the event that you are not in a healthy state to drive. You will also want to ensure you have all materials or resources you may need, including form of identification, insurance, payment, etc. For more information, contact our team today.

Preserve Dislodged Structures

In the event of a broken or knocked-out tooth, make sure you check around you for any displaced structures. Once you locate the tooth or pieces of teeth, make sure to take care to preserve them as best as you can by placing them in a sealed sandwich bag or a securely sealed container and bring this with you to your appointment. If an entire structure has been dislodged, make sure you carefully rinse it under warm water, and attempt to preserve any tissue that may still be attached to the root. Place the tooth in a securely sealed container with saltwater or milk, and bring it with you to your appointment.

Call Us Today

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, take care to act with efficiency and contact Cleveland Family Dentistry in Cleveland, TX today at (281) 592-1234 to schedule your emergency appointment.