Tips for Dental Emergencies

At Biltmore Dental Center in Phoenix, Dr. Frost and his superb dental team care about the wellbeing of their patients. They will provide quality care during your dental emergency, seeing you as quickly as possible. When a dental emergency arises, the very first thing you should do is call your dentist. The following measures taken at home as soon as an incident occurs can greatly reduce the pain as well as the extent of the damage:

• A tooth is knocked out – This is one of the most serious dental emergencies, but quick action and these important steps may save the tooth.
  • Grasp the tooth by the top (part you chew with) – DO NOT hold it by the root.
  • DO NOT rinse it with water. If there is dirt on it – dip it in a cup of cold water for 1-2 seconds.
  • DO NOT attempt to clean the root or remove any tissue that may be clinging to the tooth.
  • Try to place the tooth back into the socket, but do not force it. If it cannot be reinserted, put it in a small container of cold milk and see your dentist as soon as possible.
• Dental abscess – Rinse your mouth with salt water and immediately call your dentist. An abscess is a serious infection that needs dental treatment immediately.
• Toothache – Brush and floss your teeth very carefully then rinse thoroughly. Sometimes food particles get lodged in the crevices of your gums and teeth and can cause a toothache. If the pain continues make an appointment with your dentist.
• Broken or chipped tooth – Save the pieces of the tooth and take them to the dentist with you. Rinse your mouth with warm water.
• Tooth pushed out of position – See your dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, apply a cold pack to outside the jaw or lip area where the tooth is. This will reduce pain and swelling.
• Soft tissue injury – (tongue, lips, gums, or cheeks) Rinse your mouth with a warm salt-water solution. Apply pressure with a moistened piece of gauze for 15 minutes, to control the bleeding. If the bleeding persists, continue applying pressure with the gauze and see your dentist right away.
• Broken jaw – Go immediately to the emergency room of a local hospital.

It is wise to keep a dental emergency kit packed, just as you do a first aid kit. It should contain Biltmore Dental Center’s number (602) 704-0659, gauze, saline solution, an ice bag, ibuprofen or Tylenol, and a small sterile container. Fast, appropriate action by the patient first, and then the dentist will dramatically improve the outcome of a dental emergency. When an emergency occurs, put yourself in Dr. Frost’s skilled hands.