If you experience a dental emergency, making sure you see a dentist as quickly as possible will help ensure a successful outcome. This is particularly true if a tooth has been knocked out, or if injuries are severe. As with most types of injury, it’s important to know when you should seek help immediately, and when you can wait until the next available appointment.
What Is a Dental Emergency
A dental emergency occurs when you suffer serious trauma to your mouth and teeth. This can occur as a result of:
- A fall
- A motor vehicle accident
- A bicycling accident
- Participating in a contact sport
- Other forms of trauma
If you have injured your mouth or broken your teeth, you should evaluate the severity of the injury. If the tooth has been knocked out, you should see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. If the tooth has been chipped, a filling or crown has been dislodged, or if damage to the soft tissues in the mouth is not severe, contact your dental office and they will fit you in as soon as possible.
First Aid for Dental Emergencies
The best way to deal with a dental emergency is to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible. You can improve your ability to respond to this type of injury by having a special first aid kit already stocked and available. A first aid kit for dental injuries should include:
- A small cup you can fill with water or milk, or a special kit used to store a knocked-out tooth
- Toothpaste or dental adhesive to help hold a dislodged filling or crown in place until you can see the dentist
- Gauze to stop any bleeding
- Antiseptic mouthwash to rinse your mouth after injury
By keeping these materials on hand in case of a dental emergency, you can be sure you take the best possible care of yourself or any other injured party while you’re on the way to the emergency dentist.
Contact our team at Crosspointe Dental & Orthodontics for more tips!
