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
Any one of these conditions may trigger a dental emergency. Steps that may be taken in handling a dental emergency include:
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
Emergency dentists may be able to save a tooth if parts of the tooth or the whole tooth are kept for treatment. However, where the lip, tongue or mouth is torn, or the jaw is broken it is advisable to attend a medical emergency unit as soon as possible. Contact Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol for more information on emergency dental treatment.
When playing a physical sport or a sport that involves fast moving balls, it is important to afford your body the maximum protection. This involves covering or padding any areas that could be vulnerable. One of the most vulnerable areas of your body when playing sport is your teeth. Over half the cases of knocked out teeth seen by dentists occur as the result of a sporting injury of some description.
It may be possible in some case to replace the tooth immediately but if not you will be looking at costly and painful dental treatment to restore the appearance of your teeth. This may involve a dental implant, dental bridge or partial denture. These will need regular dental care and even replacing at various points in your life. But there is a way to give your teeth an extra degree of protection when playing sport that could prevent lost teeth.
A mouth guard from a Weston-super-Mare dentist will cover the teeth and spread the load of any impact, thus protecting the individual teeth and preventing damage. Although mouth guards are available form most sport shops, these are generally quite ill-fitting and offer only minimal protection. A mouth guard from a dentist will be specifically designed to fit your teeth. This means it will be snug fit and offer more protection to your teeth. The fitting process is very simple and quick and when compared to the cost of dental restoration treatment, is really very cheap.
Dentists can also make mouth guards for children but it is important to have these changed regularly as developing teeth change very quickly.
Call Today On 0117 973 1910 Email info@cliftonsmiles.co.uk
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
