A dental emergency involves any sudden pain or damage to your teeth, gums or oral tissues. As long as the issue is not life threatening, we can offer treatment, even outside of normal office hours. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about how to respond to common dental emergency situations.
Try Our Quiz on Responding to Dental Emergencies
- True or False: You should never pick up a knocked-out tooth by the root.
- True or False: You should try to recover the pieces of a chipped tooth.
- True or False: Never use anything other than floss if something is stuck between your teeth.
Answer Key
- True. Instead, pick up the tooth by the crown, or the visible portion. You can rinse the tooth under gently running water to remove dirt, but take care to leave any tissue adhering to the tooth. Then, put the tooth back into the socket and gently bite down to hold in place. You can also put the tooth in a glass of milk or salt water. Bring it with you to the dentist!
- True. If you can’t find any pieces of your chipped tooth then don’t worry, we can still repair the tooth with dental bonding or a crown. You can however rinse your mouth with warm water and stem any bleeding with a piece of gauze or cloth. A cold compress against the side of the face can also reduce swelling.
- True. If you use anything other than floss you can end up damaging your gums and making the problem worse. If floss fails to dislodge an object then see us immediately.
Gateway Dental Group Can Offer Emergency Care
At Gateway Dental Group, we can offer emergency dentistry and repair your damaged smile. Our practice is proud to provide comprehensive cosmetic, restorative, and preventive care, so we can help you enjoy your best, healthiest smile. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Burds and his team at Gateway Dental Group, call our office today at (515) 244-9565. Located in Des Moines, IA, we proudly welcome patients from the Des Moines area, and surrounding communities.