How To Handle Dental Emergencies + Some Oral Self-Care Tips

There are many causes of oral trauma and fractured teeth, including biting hard objects, trauma, or nighttime grinding. In some cases, the crowns or fillings will fall out or get damaged. If you have suffered extensive damage and cannot get emergency dental services, your condition will likely worsen, jeopardizing your overall physical health if left for too long.

To avoid irreparable damage, our experienced dentist in Covina urges people to seek early treatment should they ever sustain a dental emergency. Unfortunately, most of us shrug off the dental emergency with hopes that it will pass naturally. Dr. Jeffrey L. Cohen, our dental practitioner in Covina, warns against such actions as you may have to pay a higher price in the end. For the sake of promoting ideal oral health and healthy teeth, Dr. Cohen offers 24-hour emergency dental care to all his patients.

How To Avoid Dental Emergencies

• Wear a perfectly-fitted mouthguard for protection when playing contact sports or if you grind your teeth at night.
• Wear your seat belt when inside a vehicle.
• Maintain regular oral checkups and good dental hygiene.

No matter how many precautions you take, dental emergencies still happen. And when they do, it is important to have a dentist you can trust to see you immediately.

Common Dental Emergencies And Self-Care Tips

1. Lost crown or filling

Sometimes crowns and fillings may come loose while eating or chewing. When this happens, there are high chances that the tooth will become very sensitive to pressure and temperature, causing severe mouth pain. Dental crowns can also become loose due to cavities or decay in the tooth and the root structure beneath it. Decay and cavities break down the essential structure, leaving you more vulnerable to losing a crown or filling.

If a tooth or crown falls out of your mouth, schedule an appointment immediately with a dentist and store your crown somewhere cool and safe. This is highly encouraged because, in some cases, it may be possible for it to be salvaged by your dental expert. Seek treatment to resolve issues like these to prevent further damage or tooth movement and shifting.

2. Avulsed tooth

An avulsed tooth, or a tooth completely knocked-out by force, is considered a dental emergency, and patients are advised to seek immediate medical assistance from a trusted dental office. Options to repair Avulsed teeth include a re-setting your natural tooth or creating a new implant.

3. Loose or dislodged teeth

When your tooth gets loose or dislodged from its natural socket due to dental cavities, gum disease, or trauma, it may be possible for your dental practitioner to save it. The chances of saving that tooth increase when its nerves and blood vessels are still attached to it in your mouth.

If you have pain before you can get an appointment, you can relieve your pain using over-the-counter pain medications and an ice-cold compress. Your oral care service provider will try to reposition your tooth at the dental office and then stabilize it by adding splints. Should your tooth structure fail to heal, root canal treatment may be needed.

4. Broken/cracked teeth

Despite our teeth being as strong as they are, breaks, cracks, and fractures can still happen. Some of these fractures will be painless, while others will cause excruciating pain. Unfortunately, some people go for long periods without the appropriate care. After a prolonged period without treatment, continued damage may make it impossible for a dental professional to save the tooth. When this happens, an emergency dental extraction may be the only option.

If you happen to have a cracked/fractured tooth, the best option is to see a dentist. If a section of your tooth has broken off, below are steps you can take while at home:

1. Give your dentist a call.
2. Rinse your mouth and tooth fragment with slightly warm water.
3. If you are still bleeding, place gauze at the bleeding site for about ten minutes until bleeding stops.
4. Use a cold and damp dishtowel to minimize pain and swelling.
5. If you are in a place where visiting a dentist is next to impossible, use over-the-counter tooth cement to cover the injured part.
6. Use pain relievers to manage pain.

The severity of cracks and fractures can limit what your dentist can do due to the different forms they take. For instance, if the crack extends to the tooth’s root, the most effective treatment would be a root canal. If the patient has an existing medical condition that makes the procedure life-threatening to him/her, the dentist will make the best decision for your unique case.