We get it: dental emergencies are scary. At Porter Dental Health Clinic, PA, we understand how you feel when faced with a knocked-out tooth or other dental crisis. Our doctors are here to arm you with our top tips for managing dental emergencies.
Putting these simple steps into practice can ease your discomfort and help you get the care you need faster. Read on to learn about some of the most common dental emergencies we see in our Hot Springs, Arkansas, office.
Toothache
Toothaches are extremely common and can happen for reasons such as:
- Cavities
- Broken tooth
- Chipped tooth
- Cracked tooth
- Abscess (pus-filled swelling due to infection)
No matter what the reason for your toothache is, consider applying a cool compress to your jaw. An over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen can help too.
Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is an unpleasant surprise that can happen if you fall, get hit in the mouth, or have some other kind of accident. After the initial shock of losing your tooth passes, it’s important to respond quickly. The first step is retrieving your tooth. Handle it by the crown (never the roots).
If your tooth got a bit dirty, rinse it off in cool or lukewarm water. If possible, place the tooth back in the empty socket. But, if it hurts too much, drop the tooth into a glass of cow’s ››milk. The natural proteins in milk can help keep your tooth healthy for a limited time (under an hour). The faster you call us, the higher the chances we can reimplant your tooth.
The knocked-out tooth rules apply to broken or chipped teeth, too.
Lost Crown
Losing a crown is usually unmistakable. Since crowns are large restorations, you’ll probably feel it loose in your mouth. If this happens to you, try to avoid removing the crown from your mouth completely
If your crown has vanished, it’s possible you swallowed it. Either way, call us sooner rather than later. We can either reattach your crown securely or create a new one.
Dental Emergency Help in Hot Springs
Our team makes dental emergencies a top priority, so call our office at 501- 624-2778 or contact us online to get expert emergency dental care with the utmost compassion.
