19 Oct Emergency Dental Care for any Dental Emergency

Emergency Dental Care:

With a little help from my nephew.

In the case of any trauma to the mouth and teeth, it is imperative to be evaluated and receive necessary emergency dental care.

Recently my nephew needed emergency dental care. Read more about his story and what you can do to be prepared when dental emergencies arise.

Emergency Dental Care

While bouncing in a bounce house at a church picnic, my nephew was accidentally head-butted by another child. He was rattled and one of his baby teeth was knocked loose. His mother was concerned, but his behavior quickly returned to normal and he stopped complaining of any pain before the pie was served.

Luckily, his annual dental check-up was scheduled for the following week. Upon examination and an x-ray, it was determined my nephew had a horizontal fracture in his tooth and would require a tooth extraction. In every way, he was in need of emergency dental care. Long story short, he had the tooth extracted, a visit from the Tooth Fairy, and, with a missing tooth, is looking quite distinguished for a young man of five.

Dental Emergency? Get to the dentist!

In the case of my nephew, he is made of some tough stuff and stopped complaining. However, if gone untreated, a cracked tooth can break, exposing the root and the opportunity for infection. What was a simple extraction could have developed into a very difficult, painful and complex dental condition.

In the case of any trauma to the mouth and teeth, it is imperative to be evaluated and receive necessary emergency dental care. Although the injury seemed minor, my nephew needed a dental evaluation following the bounce-house-head-butting incident.

Dental Emergency Tips

Here are some emergency dental care tips, as provided by the ADA:

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. Place it in between your cheek and gums or in milk. Then, get to your dentist’s office right away. Never place a knocked-out baby tooth back in the socket!
• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. Put cold compresses on the face to keep any swelling down.
• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress.

While these emergency dental care tips are helpful and can minimize some of the affects, it is of utmost importance that you visit Integrity Dentistry as soon as possible.

Avoid A Dental Emergency

And can we add some simple precautions to help you avoid dental injuries?

• Always wear a mouthguard when participating in sports.
• Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth.
• And finally, use scissors, never your teeth, to cut and open things.

Emergency Dental Care & Integrity Dentistry

At Integrity Dentistry we know that accidents happen and that includes injuries to your mouth and teeth. Knowing what to do in the case of such an emergency can mitigate the damage, minimize the trauma, and maximize your opportunity for recovery.

Be prepared with Integrity Dentistry!

One more thing, take out your phone and add Integrity Dentistry’s number to your contact list. If you are ever in need of emergency dental care, give our office a call. We’re always happy to help.