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Kids and adults lose over five million teeth every year!
If you experience some sort of dental trauma, the best thing you can do is to stay calm. While you may feel inclined to panic due to the pain and stress of an injury, you can take comfort in the knowledge that nearly any dental issue can be addressed, treated, and resolved by a dentist. Our Long Branch dental team is here to help get you back to a healthy, pain-free smile.
Once you’ve gained control of the situation, take assessment of your injury. If you’re experiencing any bleeding, place a strip of gauze on the site of the injury and apply pressure by biting down on the gauze. This should slow the blood flow within an hour.
Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help to temporarily reduce pain and swelling. However, steer clear of any blood-thinning medications like aspirin, because they prevent clotting, making it difficult to stop the blood flow. Additionally, an ice pack or cold compress can be applied to the cheek near the affected area to help reduce pain and inflammation for a short period of time.
Time is crucial in a dental emergency. As soon as you’ve regained control of your situation, give us a call! Our team is standing by to help assess the severity of your dental injury and get you the care you need right away.
Place a knocked-out tooth in a container of cold milk to preserve the root while you head to your emergency appointment.
If you knock out a tooth, the first step is to try and remain calm. If you can find it, recover your tooth by grabbing it by its top, or crown, instead of by the bottom, or root, to prevent further damage. Then, gently rinse the tooth with warm water. Once it is clean, replace the tooth back in its socket if possible. However, be careful not to force the tooth back in place. If necessary, you can place the tooth in a container of cold milk to keep it from drying out while you are heading to your emergency appointment.
If you are facing a serious dental emergency, don’t wait to call your dentist. Although you may be focused on alleviating pain, a knocked-out tooth only has a short window of 1-2 hours in which it can be saved, replaced, and splinted by your dentist. Give us a call right away for guidance, then head to our office to get the emergency care you need.
If your dental crown, filling, bridge, or other appliance falls out, place your dental work in a container or plastic bag and keep it safe so you can bring it to your next dental visit. Give us a call right away to schedule an emergency visit so we can treat your issue as soon as possible.
When you lose a dental appliance, your teeth and gums can become exposed to bacteria. This may cause an infection, further decay or damage, and lead to even more issues in the future. A loose, broken, or missing dental appliance is considered a dental emergency and warrants a same-day appointment, so get in touch with us as soon as you notice that something’s wrong to schedule a visit.
If you’re suffering from a severe toothache and it lasts for several days, it could be caused by a tooth infection. A tooth infection is a serious dental emergency, but fortunately, root canal therapy can be used to restore and revitalize your tooth, and relieve your oral pain.
If you’re experiencing a lasting toothache, call our office immediately to book your appointment. To soothe your discomfort in the meantime, apply a cold compress to your cheek, take over-the-counter pain relievers, or apply a topical numbing gel to the affected area.
Even if the damage to your tooth appears to be minor, give us a call so we can help guide you on the next steps, and to see if your injury requires immediate treatment. When you arrive at the office, your dentist will perform an emergency exam to determine the severity of the damage. If a broken or cracked tooth is left untreated, it is at risk for infection and other complications.
If you experience any form of oral trauma that causes one or more of your teeth to become loose, call our office immediately for a same-day appointment. When your tooth is loose, it’s incredibly important to get proper care right away, as the nerves that run through and support your tooth could die and lead to losing the tooth entirely.
Once your visit is scheduled, try to keep the tooth as stable as possible, and avoid touching the loose tooth with your tongue or fingers, as this can lead to further damage and increase the risk of infection. At your emergency appointment, your dentist will apply a splint that stabilizes the tooth by attaching it to the adjacent teeth, providing support and allowing the tooth to heal and reattach to your gums.
If left untreated, a tooth infection can spread to other parts of your body and cause issues that impact your overall health.
