People with an active lifestyle are at constant risk for a dental emergency. You can break or knock out a tooth or injure the inside of your mouth playing sports, eating, talking, or even by simply not looking where you’re walking. When you have a dental emergency, your family dentist should be the first person you call (as long as it is not life-threatening).
Preparing for a dental emergency involves keeping a dental first aid kit packed and stocked at all times. The kit should include your dentist’s office number and emergency line, if applicable. Keep gauze and saline solution in the kit, as well as a container with a lid to hold teeth or soiled gauze.
Ibuprofen is preferable to aspirin as a painkiller in the kit, as aspirin is a blood thinner that can exacerbate any bleeding.
Calling your dentist immediately after a tooth injury or loss is imperative. Hold the tooth by the top (crown) and not the bottom (root), if it has been knocked out. If possible, place the tooth in a small container of milk until you can get to a professional.
Remember that emergency injuries to the cheeks, tongue, or lips are better handled by the emergency room because they may require stitches. If you crack a tooth, rinse your mouth out with lukewarm water, hold an ice pack to the area, and call the family dentist immediately. If there is an object caught between your teeth, try to gently coax it out with dental floss – do not use any other item to remove it.
Having the necessary first aid tools and emergency phone numbers handy at all times will prepare you for any dental emergency. For more tips, contact the Arlington TX office of Dr. Daniel C. Bush at 817-465-0355.
