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Dental Emergencies
Understanding True Dental Emergencies
Have you ever cracked a tooth on a glass or felt something constantly jabbing your gums? These are just two of the ten most frequent dental crises that can seriously harm oral health if ignored.
Knowing what counts as a dental emergency is crucial to getting quick care when needed. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Call our Lindsay dentist immediately if you’ve badly hurt a tooth, damaged a nerve, or lost a crown or filling that shields a tooth. You shouldn’t risk more damage. The best option is to get expert care from a skilled Lindsay dentist who handles dental emergencies.
If you face a dental problem late at night and must wait to see a Lindsay dentist, knowing how to treat your injury at home is vital for your oral health.
Top 10 Dental Emergencies and How to Handle Them
1. Broke or Chipped Your Tooth
This is easily one of the most painful emergencies. You’re going to want to call the dentist as soon as possible. Meanwhile, rinse out your mouth with warm water, and try to keep the tooth if possible. Also, try to put an icepack on it in transit to the dentist
2. Knocked a Tooth Loose
Your tooth is loose, but it didn’t get knocked out. That’s good news (even though it hurts). The dentist may be able to save your tooth. Take some over the counter painkillers, put some ice on it, and get to the dentist as soon as possible.
3. Broke or Lost a Crown Filling
Oh boy, that’s no fun. Hopefully, you didn’t swallow it. If you did, don’t worry, you’re not going to die. Try to keep the crown or filling if you still have it.
Your tooth is going to be very sensitive to anything going into your mouth. That includes air. You can use clove oil to try to soothe the sensitivity as well as get some dental cement from a local drug store. Once again, get to the dentist as soon as you can because you’re likely in pain.
4. Sudden Painful Toothache
Toothaches can be the symptom of a lot of different problems. The best thing to do is to rinse out your mouth with some warm water. Then try to gently floss around the tooth to make sure no food is hanging out around there. If it persists, you’re going to need to take a trip to the dentist.
5. Something is Lodged Between Your Teeth
When something gets stuck between your teeth, it can become rather painful and could lead to infection. It’s got to come out pronto. First, try to get it out with some floss. If that hurts too much, you could also try something like Soft Picks for a gentler approach. In case all else fails, you’re going to want to see the dentist.
6. SUDDEN SWELLING IN YOUR MOUTH
This could happen for several reasons, but it is potentially very serious. You may have an abscessed tooth. Abscessed teeth are no joke. The infection can spread quickly, and since your mouth is in your head where your brain resides, you’re playing with fire if you let this one go. There’s nothing you can do other than getting to the dentist as soon as possible.
7. Broke Your Braces
Braces have a lot of moving parts. Sometimes those moving parts break. First, if they break, call your orthodontist to get in as quickly as possible.
If a wire breaks, you’ll want to get it somewhere where it isn’t poking you. And, if there’s no way of moving it to a place that isn’t hurting, use some orthodontic wax to cover it until you can get to the orthodontist.
In case, it’s a band that loosens, salvage it and set up an appointment with your orthodontist to have it replaced or re-cemented.
8. Bit Your Cheek or Tongue
This happens all the time when you’re eating, chewing gum, or just not paying attention. Most of the time it’s not too much of an issue, but there can be circumstances that make it more traumatic. In that case, the first step is to try and stop the bleeding. Rinse your mouth with some saltwater, then use a piece of gauze to put pressure on the wound.
If you can’t stop the bleeding and your dentist is unavailable, go to the ER. They may need to take a look at it.
9. Injured Your Jaw
A broken jaw is no fun. There’s nothing you can do for this other than take some over the counter painkillers and put some ice on it until you can get to the ER.
10. Wisdom Teeth Pain
Wisdom teeth pain is no fun at all. They seem to come whenever they please, and when they do, they can easily wreak havoc. Impacted wisdom teeth are more problematic; you’ll know because of your irritated gums in that area, as well as possible bad breath. See a dentist as soon as possible to get this one figured out.
Lower Your Chances of Dental Emergencies
While no step will eradicate all potential hazards, specific steps can help lower risks:
- Wear a well-fitted mouthguard for any athletic endeavor or physical contact sport.
- Careful consideration must also be given to eating: For optimal dental health, avoid acidic food products as much as possible, and watch what goes in the mouth when brushing, including fruits like apples.
- No ice, popcorn kernels, or hard candies should ever be chewed—these could damage your teeth!
- Always practice good mouth hygiene: brush and floss daily to maintain excellent oral health, and visit a dentist regularly. While going to the dentist might not be enjoyable, keeping your oral health intact is crucial.
Need Urgent Dental Care in Lindsay, Ontario?
Tooth trouble can strike unexpectedly and disrupt your day, but relief is just a phone call away. Horizon Family Dental’s Dr. Vipin Grover and team are ready to address your dental emergency and bring swift pain relief. Don’t put off visiting Horizon Family Dental; we provide fast care when needed.
Don’t wait for a dental emergency! Contact us immediately.
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It all starts with a phone call at Horizon Family Dentistry. When you call our Lindsay Dental Clinic, our friendly staff will help you select an appointment time that is convenient for you and your family.
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