You can take immaculate care of your teeth, flossing every day and brushing twice, and you can ensure that you’ll have a lifetime of great smiles and healthy teeth, or can you? The fact of the matter is no matter how meticulous you are about your oral hygiene, life is a bumpy road and sometimes misadventure leads to dental injury. Most people have at least a basic idea of what to do if they sustain an injury to the rest of their body but still remain woefully ignorant about what they need to do in the event of a dental emergency. This article will cover the types of dental emergencies you may encounter and what steps you need to take to treat them.
What Qualifies As A Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies can come in many forms though they do all share one thing in common, they must be addressed immediately to ensure that the damage they inflict isn’t lasting. Some of the most common types of dental issues are abscesses and infections that, if left uncontrolled, can cause lasting damage to the gums and jaw. Other forms of emergencies involve trauma to the teeth, gums, or jaw and are the result of misadventure.
Dental Emergency Types:
• Mouth Injuries Resulting In Bleeding – Facial injuries are often unpleasant, bloody affairs, and in cases where the gums, teeth, or jaw is involved it’s best to get to your dentist immediately. On the way be sure to rinse out your mouth with clean water and apply an ice pack to help control the swelling and bleeding.
• Broken or Fractured Teeth – The pain involved in these can be significant, and most people would assume there’s no coming back from this for your teeth. This may not be true, however. Gather up all the pieces of your teeth and go directly to your dentists. If the root has been exposed do not touch it.
• Knocked-Out Teeth – This follows the same procedure as above. If the traumatized tooth has an exposed root be sure that it remains moist and take it directly to a dentist. If it’s a long trip stop by a pharmacy and pick up a tooth preservation kit.
These are the most common forms of dental emergencies that are seen by practitioners and are easily treated with the forms of first aid listed above. In many cases, injuries can be recovered from, with even broken and fractured teeth being preserved if proper steps are taken.
If you live in the Aliso Viejo, CA area then your first stop during a dental emergency should be at Premier Dental of South Orange County. With just one phone call you can make an appointment to speak to Dr. Marian Bradford, an accomplished dentist who has been helping protect and restore her patient’s beautiful smiles for years. Don’t assume that a lost or damaged tooth is beyond repair, stop in and speak to a professional who can help save your smile and get you back to enjoying life!