Got A Dental Emergency? See What To Do
What To Do If You Have A Dental Emergency And Can’t Get To The Dentist Immediately
If a tooth has been chipped, broken or knocked out, you’ll need to do the following:
Hold the tooth by its crown (i.e. the part of the tooth that’s attached to the gums) and place it in a cup of milk. If you don’t have any milk on-hand, saltwater will suffice.
The moisture will prevent your tooth from dehydrating. Keep the tooth inside the cup until you are able to visit your dentist.
If, for some reason, you don’t have access to either of these liquids, it is absolutely necessary to reach your dentist within an hour of the tooth damage occurring.
Be Prepared With A Dental Emergency Kit
Finally, if you have crowns, fillings or recently underwent an oral procedure, assemble an emergency dental kit and carry it somewhere on your person (hey, you never know when the unpredictable might happen, and it never hurts to be prepared!).
Here’s what your kit should contain:
- Salt packets
- Gauze
- Q-tips (to swab the area)
- Anti-inflammatory painkiller (e.g. Ibuprofen)
- Tupperware container (in case you lose a crown or tooth)
- Dentist’s phone number
- Sugar-free gum
While not intended as an alternative option to seeking professional treatment, these home remedies will provide a temporary quick-fix whenever dental disasters strike without warning.
Because, after all, a dental emergency can happen to anyone, when you least expect it.
Wayne NJ Emergency Dentistry: Wayne Dental Arts office of Frank V. Maldonado, D.D.S.
We proudly provide all phases of emergency dental services for Wayne and the surrounding North Jersey communities of Franklin Lakes, Montville, Kinnelon, Oakland, Pompton Lakes, Pompton Plains, Towaco, Butler, Paterson, Lincoln Park, Pequannock, Little Falls and Fairfield.
We offer nitrous oxide for anxious or fearful patients, you may want to ask your dentist for a “5 minute trial” to see how you feel with this type of sedation method before proceeding.
If you ever experience a dental emergency, we’re just a phone call away…call us at (973) 694-8625.
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This post originally appeared on Dental Patient News and has been republished with permission.
GUEST AUTHOR:
Dr. Mark Jacobs has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of University of Detroit Mercy Dental School. He practices dentistry at Bright Side Dental Livonia, near Detroit, Michigan.
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