Emergencies!

Know What to Do and Who to Call if You Have an Immediate Problem

People usually don't think much about their mouth on a day to day basis...until there is something wrong there. Then, it's hard to think of anything else. Dental emergencies fall into a couple of broad categories.

* Immediate, painful, or traumatic
* Patient doesn't know what to do with a problem

To your dentist, a true emergency involves serious pain and/or damage to the teeth and surrounding tissues that will get worse if not addressed immediately. If you have pain in the mouth and jaws that comes on suddenly, mouth trauma such as getting hit or falling, a tooth knocked loose, knocked out or broken, you should call your dentist. Dentists should have contact information available to help you reach them at any time for an emergency. If you cannot reach your dentist you might try another dentist nearby. As a last resort, go to the nearest hospital emergency room. You should probably do this anyway in the case of trauma or excessive bleeding. Also, IMPORTANT TIP HERE, If your tooth is knocked out, remember that the best place to keep it is in your mouth. The next best place is in some milk. Don't try and clean it, just put it in there and get to the dentist. A tooth re-implanted within thirty minutes stands a good chance of being saved.

If the tooth is just knocked out of place, use light pressure to try to repostition the tooth. Do not force it. Bite down to keep it in place. See your dentist as soon as possible. They may place a splint on the tooth to immobilize it while it heals.

For a fractured tooth, Rinse with warm water and use an ice pack for swelling. Take Ibuprophen for pain and see your dentist.

Injuries to the gums, lips, cheeks, and other soft tissues of the mouth, should be cleaned immediately with warm water and the person should be seen at a hospital emergency room or dentist as soon as possibile. Use firm presure with a moistened gauze or cloth to stop bleeding. Note that oral tissues have a plentiful blood supply and can bleed quite profusely.

Other situations where you might need to call your dentist are:

* Crown or bridge has fallen out
* Broken denture or partial
* Temporary crown or bridge out
* Chipped tooth
* Sensitivity
* Orthodontic wire loose

These items, while not as immediate, deserve attention as soon as possible. Note also that with most of these issues, one person's emergency is another persons mild annoyance. Your dentist will generally see you if you feel you have an emergency. Please keep in mind that, if you have an existing problem, ignoring it until it is an "emergency" before calling will probably not endear you to your dentist. Take care of your self and most emergencies will never happen