Dental emergencies can happen anytime and to anyone. They can occur in the middle of the night when no clinic near you is open or incurred during a sporting activity far from a clinic. Examples of dental emergencies include incessant bleeding or the knocking out of a permanent tooth. An injured jaw, painful swelling, and debilitating toothache are other emergencies that require prompt attention from an emergency dentist in Greenville, SC. It’s important to learn how to handle such emergencies, however, the moment they occur. With some helpful tips, you can alleviate the pain and prevent the problem from worsening until you get to the dental clinic.
Severe Toothache
When you can’t take the pain anymore, rinse your mouth with warm water. See if there’s any lodged food in the aching tooth and remove it with dental floss. For a swelling mouth, you can place a cold compress on the exterior of your cheek where the aching portion is located. Avoid putting painkillers like aspirin directly against the part of your gums where the pain exists because it can burn gum tissue.
Chipped or Broken Teeth
Pick up any pieces of a chipped or broken tooth that you can see. Rinse the pieces and your mouth with warm water. If your gums are bleeding, apply gauze to the area until the bleeding stops. Exteriorly applying cold compress to the region of the broken tooth helps alleviate swelling and pain as well.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Was your tooth knocked during a football game? Try to look for the tooth and rinse it carefully, should you recover it from the ground. However, make sure that you don’t remove tissue fragments that are still attached to it. If you can, put the tooth back in place without forcing it into the socket. In case you can’t return it to its place, put the tooth in a container with milk or water and a pinch of salt. This will help save and protect the tooth until you see your dentist. It’s best to seek treatment within an hour to increase the chances of successfully reinserting the tooth.
Knowing what to do in case of dental emergencies will help you avoid more serious situations. However, these are only first-aid treatments; it’s still important to seek the help of dentists in Greenville, SC as soon as possible.
Sources:
Handling Dental Emergencies, WebMD.com
Seeking Treatment For Oral Care Problems In Emergency Rooms, Colgate.com
