What Is A Dental Emergency?
When you have a chipped or cracked teeth, or other injuries to your smile that are not life threatening, then you need dental emergency care. In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist talks about how we treat common emergency situations, and what you can do in the immediate aftermath to prevent worsening discomfort or injury.
Common Emergency Situations
A dental emergency could be as simple as an unexplained toothache, or an object caught between your teeth that you cannot remove with floss alone. For others, they could include cracked or chipped teeth. Even if you sustain an injury but no damage is visible, consider an appointment just to make sure there isn’t a fracture. A knocked-out tooth requires immediate attention, as does a loose or missing crown or filling. When these issues happen, call us right away, even outside of normal business hours, so we can arrange for a time to see you quickly and offer advice for protecting your smile until we can see you for repair.
Responding to Your Injuries
In the immediate aftermath, you can take steps to ease discomfort and prevent complications. For an aching tooth or one with something stuck between it, rinse with warm, water and gently floss on either side of the tooth. If this fails to address the issue, let us know right away. Don’t use anything other than floss, as you risk actually damaging your tooth.
If a tooth is chipped, try to recover any pieces and bring them with you. If you cannot, don’t worry, we can still repair the tooth. Rinse with warm water and take an over-the-counter pain reliever. A bit of cloth or gauze could stem any bleeding, and using a cold compress or ice pack could reduce facial swelling.
If a tooth is knocked out, pick it up by the crown, never touch the root. Place it in a glass of milk or salt water, or place it back into the socket and bite down gently to keep it in place. See us right away. If a crown or filling is loose or missing, then avoid hot or cold foods and drinks, and avoid items high in sugar, as the tooth will be very sensitive.
Possible Treatment
We can repair minor damage in one visit with cosmetic bonding. We could also place a crown to address severe damage, and replace any missing crowns or fillings too. If you have any questions, then please give our team a call today.
Your Cleveland, TX Dentist’s Office Offers Orthodontics
Cleveland Family Dentistry in Cleveland, TX wants to help address a dental emergency. To learn more about repairing and restoring your smiles, then contact our office at (281) 592-1234 to schedule your appointment today.