What to do in a Dental Emergency
As with any emergency, including dental, the important thing is to try and remain calm. Sometimes medical and dental emergencies are one and the same. In such cases, the individual experiencing trauma should receive medical emergency care as soon as possible. Emergency units often have oral surgeons who are trained in managing a dental emergency as part of a medical one. Dental emergencies may be standalone requiring emergency care provided by a dental professional. Typical dental emergencies include:- Totally or partially knocked out tooth
- Broken, chipped or fractured tooth
- Persistent toothache
- Bleeding teeth and gums
- Tooth infection
- Dental abscess
- Injured lip or tongue
- Broken or dislocated jaw
- Broken orthodontic device or denture
- Staying calm and contacting an emergency dentist for care immediately
- Being accompanied as soon as possible to the emergency dentist
- Using cotton wool and antiseptic from a dental emergency kit to temporarily stem bleeding
- Gently rinsing the mouth with warm water where tooth infection or bleeding is occurring
- Applying clove oil to a toothache
- Keeping broken off parts of a tooth or a knocked out tooth in the cavity of the mouth for the emergency dentist
- If partially knocked out, pressing the tooth back into the tooth socket en-route to the emergency dentist
Tags: dental emergency, dental injury, knocked out teeth, sporting injury