We share ways of treating a dental injury before you can visit your Annapolis emergency dentist.
A dental injury can be alarming, but knowing what to do in a dental emergency can assist you in avoiding disaster and saving your smile. However, if you’ve controlled the swelling, bleeding, and pain, then keep reading. In this post, we share ways of treating a dental injury before you can visit your Annapolis emergency dentist.
Do You Have a Knocked-Out Tooth?
The first thing in treating a dental injury is to remain calm and examine the situation. Car accidents, high-impact sports, and accidents can lead to an avulsed tooth. While losing a permanent tooth is scary, a dentist from Annapolis Dental Care could save it. Also, don’t touch the roots of the avulsed tooth because they contain vital cells. These cells must be healthy and alive to ensure adequate reinsertion.
In addition, bacteria and dirt can damage the cells on tooth roots. Therefore, gently pick up the knocked-out tooth by the top and rinse it with clean water – only if it falls from your mouth and onto the ground. To keep the bleeding under control, attempt to apply light pressure to the area with clean gauze pads. Avoid painkillers since they might thin the blood and worsen the bleeding.
A Missing, Loose, or Broken Dental Restoration
Dental restorations from Annapolis Dental Care may include dental fillings, crowns, and bridges. Typically, these dental restorations are secure in the mouth. However, external factors can damage, loosen, or dislodge them. Loose repairs can cause you to choke, while missing or broken restorations might expose nerve-dense areas on vulnerable teeth, resulting in significant pain. If your restoration is loose yet intact, please leave it alone. An Annapolis dentist might be able to secure it without removing it.
Also, hold on to the fallen restoration and bring it to your dental emergency appointment. A dentist can reuse it if it’s still in good shape. Plus, protect your mouth by putting sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax over the sharp edges. Fortunately, cold compresses or over-the-counter painkillers can reduce pain and swelling until you visit an emergency dentist.
When You Have a Broken or Cracked Tooth
A cracked or broken tooth can be vastly painful. Besides that, jagged or sharp edges can pose a severe risk to surrounding oral tissues. Here’s what you can do when treating a dental injury:
- Eliminate & save any pieces. Store any pieces in water, milk, or a saline solution to keep them healthy until your emergency dental appointment. Even if a dentist can’t reattach the missing pieces, they might utilize them as a guide to restore your tooth.
- Germs can find their way into a cracked or broken tooth, causing a painful tooth infection. So, avoid infections by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater solution.
- Jagged edges can easily cut into soft oral tissues. Make sure to cover them with sugarless gum or dental wax to protect your cheeks, lips, and tongue.
- Control bleeding by applying light pressure with clean gauze pads or cotton balls.
Contact our emergency dentistry team now to save your smile, health, and money from further damage.
Feel Confident About Your Oral Health with Annapolis Dental Care
Whether it’s a regular check-up you need or a tooth extracted, your dentist in Annapolis is here to serve! Annapolis Dental Care has the expertise and compassion to work with you on improving your oral health. Your comfort and health are our top priorities, and so we go above and beyond to make our patients happy and give them the highest quality care. To set up an appointment today, please give us a call at 410-571-5014 or visit us online. For more oral health tips for you and your family, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! We are always looking for new patients, so if you live in Arnold, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, MD, come on down!