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subject: Dental Emergencies - React Appropriately To Save Your Tooth [print this page]


Any dental emergency, such as an injury to the teeth or gums, can be potentially serious. You should not ignore any dental emergency because it can increase the risk of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive treatment down the road. So when an emergency arises, take extra precautions and be prepared to handle any dental emergency.

What is a Dental Emergency?

Injuries to your mouth may include knocked out teeth, loosened, or fractured teeth. Additionally, lips, gums or cheeks are often cut, which are painful and should be treated by your dentist as soon as possible. Immediately visit your emergency dentist within 30 minutes, in order to successfully save your tooth. Common dental emergencies include:

*Knocked out tooth

*Tooth pushed out of position

*Fractured tooth

*Injured tissue

In order to always be prepared for a potential dental emergency, you may want to pack an emergency dental-care kit that includes the following:

*Dentist's phone numbers

*Handkerchief

*Gauze

*Small container with lid

*Ibuprofen

So You Knocked Out a Tooth - Now What?

If you knock out a tooth, it is a dental emergency that requires urgent attention. If the appropriate emergency steps are followed immediately after your tooth has been knocked out, your chances are very high that the tooth can be reinserted and preserved by your dentist. Immediately pick up your knocked out tooth by the top (crown) of the tooth. It is important that you do not touch the root of the tooth.

Rinse the tooth off very gently to ensure that it is clean and do not scrub the tooth or remove any tissues that may still be attached to it. Be sure to place a towel or washcloth in the sink so that your tooth does not go down the drain while you are cleaning it. If you can, gently place the tooth back into the socket and hold it gently in place while trying to bite down. If you can't place the tooth back in the socket, put it in a small container or in a cup of milk.

Your Tooth is Loose or Out of Alignment - Don't Panic

When your tooth is loose or out of alignment, you should call your Warrenton dentist immediately for an emergency appointment. In the meantime, as you wait for your appointment, you can try to put the tooth back in its original position using your finger with very light pressure. Do not force the tooth back into position, as this may increase the damage. You can also bite down on your tooth in order to keep it from moving.

Since a dental emergency can happen at any time and place, the best thing to do is to be prepared and not to panic. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, contact your Warrenton dentist immediately. The sooner you can visit your dentist for proper care, the better your chances are of saving your tooth.

by: Gen Wright




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