Good dental care aids you in maintaining oral health and preventing infections. Read on to learn the frequent occured dental emergency and how to avoid it thoughtfully.  

Introduction:

You know to go to the emergency room when you accidentally injure your finger while cutting vegetables for dinner. But what about when you bite something and chip your tooth? 

Some emergencies don't need you to head towards the emergency room; instead, you need to go to the dental clinic. 

Prevention with good dental care is the best way to protect your oral health. Learning about dental emergency strikes helps you prevent long-term damage. What are the most common emergencies, and how to deal with them?

Let's look at the different types of dental emergencies and their solutions.

Tooth pain

Pain is never a good signal. It can indicate several conditions, including tooth decay. 

Some tooth pains are manageable without dental emergency treatment, but some signs, like swelling, need urgent attention. 

Avoid taking aspirin or any other painkillers because affected gums contact can burn the tissue. 

You should apply a cold compress to the outer side of your cheek and call a dental clinic for dental emergency care. 

Once your treatment is done, your dentist won't emphasize the importance of basic oral hygiene to prevent cavities, tooth decay and other worse dental problems. 

Broken teeth

Did you chew something a little hard? A broken tooth doesn't just spoil your perfect smile- it can also hurt. 

You should rinse your mouth with warm water and apply a piece of gauze to the bleeding site. 

Then, apply a cold compress to the part of your face closest to the broken tooth to decrease swelling and smooth pain. 

Your dentist will suggest that you be mindful of biting down on hard objects and crunchy foods, as well as sports and other activities to avoid dental emergencies.

Knocked out teeth

You would handle a broken tooth by picking it up by the crown and rinsing the root off if it gets dirty. Avoid scrubbing and removing attached fragments of tissue.  

You can put the tooth back in place but be careful not to push it into the socket. It all depends on the injury.

The sooner you can do this, probably within an hour- the better your chances of saving a broken or knocked-out tooth and restoring it in place. 

If you can not reinsert the tooth, put it in a small cup with water or milk, adding a pinch of salt. This will help preserve the tooth in time for dental emergency restoration.

Lost filling or crown

Crowns and fillings restore previously damaged teeth to their natural appearance and function. So when they break, you need to get them treated immediately to avoid further damage or reinfection. 

Try this temporary solution while waiting for emergency dental care. Stick a piece of sugarless gum inside a cavity but do not fix the tooth yourself to avoid damaging it. 

You can also put the restoration in a zip zap bag and bring it to the emergency dentistry to apply again.

How to treat dental emergencies?

Wear a mouthguard

Express your love for the game without risking your perfect smile if you are a sports fan. Avoid rough plays that injure your face and mouth and knock out a tooth. Wear a mouthguard before you head out to the court or field. 

Watch what you eat

Human teeth are sturdy, but you would be surprised how easy it is to crack a tooth. Hard candy and tough meats are some of the ways otherwise strong, straight; beautiful teeth get cracked. 

The perfect way to avoid this is to be mindful of bite. If you are thinking of having candy, don't- it is not worth taking the risk of breaking a tooth.  

Don’t take a bite of something else

Most people have bad oral habits, such as biting nails and chewing on pen caps and other items that aren't food. But did you learn that these inapt habits can lead you to crack your teeth? You can break these bad habits by keeping your hands busy in activities and chewing sugarless gum to redirect oral fixations. 

All in all, tooth pains that are cracked, chipped, loose or missing, soft tissue injuries and missing dental restorations are meant to be a dental emergency. When and if these dental emergencies happen to you, make sure to visit a dentist for dental emergency treatment. However, most medical emergencies need a visit to the emergency room. They will refer to dental treatment. Hence, to save yourself time and discomfort, go straight to the local dental clinic.

Source URL : https://gentledental.co.nz/services/emergencies/