How to Handle 4 Common Dental Emergencies

The problem with accidents in life is that most of the time, you don’t see them coming. So what do you do when faced with a surprise dental emergency?

Depending on what is wrong, there are a few steps you can take before seeking urgent care either in our Ann Arbor office or in the emergency room. It’s important to act fast as any injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious.

In this blog, we’ll be detailing what needs to be done for 4 common dental emergencies.

Why You Should Seek Treatment

Dental emergencies should not be ignored. If treatment is postponed, other oral complications could develop and worsen the situation. The moment you notice that something is wrong, call our office immediately.

If for some reason we are unavailable during your time of need, we urge you to visit the nearest emergency room. Knowing what to do in these situations can help you save a tooth that would otherwise be lost.

1.) Knocked-Out Tooth

Having a tooth knocked out of your mouth can be scary but it’s important to stay calm when it happens. If you take the right steps in the moment, your tooth has a higher chance of being saved.

In fact, if you are seen by our emergency dentists within an hour of your tooth being knocked out, you have the highest chances that we will be able to restore it.

What to do for a knocked-out tooth:

Pick the tooth up by the crown (top of tooth), not the roots.
Gently rinse off any dirt or other debris.
If possible, try to put the tooth back into the socket so it doesn’t dry out.
If the tooth can’t be put back in, place it between your cheek and gum or submerge it in a glass of milk.
Call our office or seek out the nearest emergency room.

2.) Broken or Cracked Tooth

Just like with a knocked-out tooth, you’ll need to act quickly if you discover that your tooth has been cracked or broken.

Fortunately, we offer a range of services at Excel Dental that will return your smile to normal. It is critical, however, that you reach us or an emergency room in time.

What to do for a broken or cracked tooth:

Save all pieces of broken tooth if possible.
Rinse your mouth and any broken pieces with warm water.
If there is bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
Apply a cold compress to your face to reduce swelling.
Call our office or seek out the nearest emergency room.

3.) Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a pocket of pus in a tooth caused by an infection. This infection can result from an ignored cavity, injury, or old dental work. If a dental abscess is left untreated, it can result in often life-threatening complications.

Our dentist can drain the abscess to rid the infection. Your tooth can be saved with a root canal but if the situation is too severe, the tooth will unfortunately need to be pulled.

In the meantime, however, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution (½ teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day. This will ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface.

4.) Toothache

Bothered by persistent tooth pain? Luckily there are a few easy steps you can take to ease your discomfort before calling our office.

First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water to flush the area and get it clean. Next, gently use floss to remove any food that is caught between your teeth. You’d be surprised, sometimes flossing is all that is needed to solve the problem.

To reduce swelling, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek.

If swishing with warm water and flossing does not help, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with our dentists so we can resolve the issue before it worsens.

Our Dentists Can Help

You shouldn’t have to suffer in pain. If you are experiencing any of the above dental emergencies, please do not hesitate to visit our office ASAP. Our team of emergency dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, are ready to ease your discomfort and restore your smile.