Holiday Update: Managing Minor Dental Emergencies

Holiday Update: Managing Minor Dental Emergencies

How to Manage Minor Dental Emergencies

 

Protect Your Teeth during Emergencies

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Tastes so Sweet, Feels so Bitter

 

Young or old, everyone loves a nice treat! For those with a sweet tooth, the time from Halloween to the New Year can seem like an extended holiday in and of itself, but too many sweets can wreak havoc on your dental health! You probably realize that sugary candy and treats are one of the leading causes of tooth decay so we will cover what to do if one experiences non-preventable dental emergencies.

 

Prevention is the Best Medicine!

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You will never have to worry about a dental emergency if you take the necessary precautions first! Easier said than done we know, but it is something to consider especially when playing contact sports. If you or your child participates in a sport where there is a chance of dental injury, consider purchasing a mouthguard. Mouthguards are used to treat all sorts of dental conditions and can also protect teeth from chipping or breaking during contact sports.

 

What to do for a Toothache

 

While parents in days of yore may have used whiskey to treat toothaches, the modern dental community is almost unilaterally opposed to wantonly using alcohol to treat minor aches! Instead, rinse the affected area with warm water and check to see that nothing is lodged in the gums. If you believe the pain to be associated with tooth growth then consider a numbing agent such as Orajel. If swelling is visible externally then apply an icepack and contact your dentist as soon as possible.

How to Handle a Chipped Tooth

Missing Teeth

Chipped teeth are unsightly and can cause great pain if the tooth is chipped along nerve endings. Although small chips can usually be fixed by filing down the affected tooth so that the chip is no longer noticeable, larger chips often require more work. In the event of a larger chip always try to save the chipped off piece! It will probably look more natural than an artificial dental crown in most cases. To prevent most cases of tooth chipping, avoid chewing hard candies and ice.

 

Managing Loss of a Tooth

It’s common to have a nightmare wherein you lose your teeth, but what do you do in the unthinkable situation that you actually do lose a tooth? First and most importantly; don’t panic! You will want your full mental capabilities to handle what is to come. Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown being sure to avoid the root of the tooth. Then rinse the tooth off in a bowl of water but do not scrub the tooth. Rinse your mouth out with warm water and apply gauze if there is bleeding. Then, attempt to place the tooth back in the socket if possible, or in between the gum and the lower lip, but be sure not to swallow it! Now you are ready for emergency dental treatment!

 

It would be impossible to cover every form of dental emergency out there, but we hope that you have enjoyed our brief overview of what you can do for prevention and first aid for minor emergencies! As always our team here at Roy Orthodontics is present and happy to answer any question you might have concerning orthodontic treatment. If you would like to contact us or book an appointment, please contact us by email by following the link or by phone at our Chesapeake office by calling (757) 382-7357 and our Virginia Beach office by calling (757) 471-2900. From the Roy Orthodontics family to your own, we would like to wish you a heartfelt merry Christmas, and a wonderful new year!

Sources

  1. http://www.mouthhealthy.org 10 Tips for a Healthy Haloween Author: American Dental Association (Blog Post) Retrieved From: http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/h/halloween-tips
  2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com 10 Common Dental Problems And How To Avoid Them Author: Catherine Pearson (Article) Retrieved From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/14/dental-problems-common_n_834935.html
  3. http://www.webmd.com How to Save a Knocked Out Tooth Creator: Channel Health (Video) Retrieved From: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/video/save-knocked-out-tooth

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