Dental emergencies can happen to anyone at any given time, which makes it nerve-wracking. Imagine taking a stroll in the park one day only to get hit by a stray ball on the face, chipping your front teeth. It’s not only painful; it’s also inconvenient and uncomfortable. We may not be able to control these emergencies, but what we can do is find a dental clinic that will attend to us during unlikely times like these. Preparedness goes a long way for situations like these, so here’s a simple guide on where to go and what to do during dental emergencies.
Common dental emergencies and their respective first aid treatment.
During unlikely events, it’s important to always be prepared, no matter what happens. Keep in mind that these are just first aid treatments or home remedies since it’s most important to seek professional help and run to Toorak dentist for help. With that said, here are a few common dental emergencies and how you can handle them:
Toothache. As one of the most annoying and painful inconveniences in life, suffering from a toothache can render you weak and irritable for the whole day. If you have the misfortune of suffering from it, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater and gently floss around the concerned area. If you’re at home and you don’t mind your breath smelling funky for the rest of the day, you can create a garlic paste by crushing a clove and applying it around the hurting tooth’s area. Garlic is known for its antibacterial properties and helps ease the pain a little bit. If you want, you can skip the crushing part and just chew on a fresh clove.
Chipped tooth. For those who suffer from chipped teeth, the same routine applies when you have a toothache: do a warm saltwater rinse. Ideally, it’s best if you head to emergency Dentist Toorak to help you out with this concern, but if you can’t go yet, just nurse your chipped tooth with a clean cloth and gather the chipped pieces in a container for safekeeping. If there’s swelling in the area, apply a cold pack and leave it on for as long as you can to help the swelling go down. Once you’re able to, head to your local dentist since there’s a chance they can save your tooth from its deformed state. Dental cement and dental wax also help create a protective barrier so you can contain the damage. Try not to bite down on anything and opt for soft or liquid foods in the meantime.
Knocked-out tooth. Compared to the aforementioned, this injury is a lot more serious since your tooth is now detached from your gums. In cases like these, what you want to do is pick up the tooth, hold it by the crown, and rinse it over with saliva NOT running water scrub it at all costs. Once it’s clean, try to reinsert your tooth into the socket and gently bite down. Try to make it as aligned as possible so it hopefully settles back on. If reinsertion is not possible, head to emergency dentist Toorak so they can help you with your concerns.
Oral injury. By now, you should know that the first thing you do when it comes to any oral and dental injuries or ailments is to always rinse your mouth with warm water. If there’s any bleeding in the area, apply pressure to stop it, and in case of swelling, apply a cold compress to your area of concern.
Lost filling. After rinsing your mouth with warm water, limit chewing from your troubled tooth and use dental wax to temporarily cover the exposed area.
Gum injuries. Gum injuries can be pretty concerning since they bleed pretty easily. As if that’s not bad enough, bleeding gums can be indicative of many things: plaque buildup, vitamin deficiencies, medications, or gum disease. Rinse your mouth with warm water and try to apply pressure to the area if it’s bleeding. Use a clean cloth or tea bag to do this, and head to your local dentist immediately.
Where do I go in case of dental emergencies?
Dental emergencies warrant immediate care; here are a few places you should head to just in case.
Your dentist. Reach out to your local dentist to see if they accept emergency appointments. If you don’t have a regular dentist yet, choose a facility that offers emergency dental services along with flexible payment options so you won’t have to break the bank upfront.
Hospital’s emergency departments. In severe cases where there’s profuse bleeding, infection, or significant trauma involved, head straight to the hospital’s ER department.
Dental clinics. Lastly, you can also seek dental help from local clinics since most of them offer emergency services.
What are the things I can do to prevent dental emergencies?
Now that you have an idea of the most common dental problems, you should also be taking action and adopting practices that will lower your chance of suffering from those injuries.
Get checked regularly. Schedule at least two dental check-ups yearly so your dentist can thoroughly clean your teeth. Committing to these schedules also means they can check your overall dental and oral condition, identify potential issues early, and prevent them from worsening.
Practice good oral hygiene. Again, the importance of brushing and flossing cannot be stressed enough; make sure you do so twice a day and use mouthwash to kill off bacteria.
Improve your lifestyle. Quit smoking since it damages your teeth and gums. If you can, limit your alcohol, coffee, and sugar intake since they help corrode your tooth enamel. If left untreated, it will lead to plaque and cavity buildup.
Be mindful of the food you eat. Eating is one of the most enjoyable activities to do, so it can be hard to cut off a few foods that can impact your smile. At best, just keep your sugar intake at a minimum and avoid hard foods. Add more vegetables and fruits to your diet instead, since not only are they great for your gut health, fruits like apples help boost saliva production.
Wear a mouthguard. If you play any combat sports like boxing or football, it’s best to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from injuries.