As a young person, many things are going on in your life all at the same time. When something happens unexpectedly, it can throw quite a wrench in even the most well-thought-out of plans. This includes problems with your teeth. These are things you can’t necessarily plan for. When a problem occurs, you need to take care of it right away. To help you, we have put together the following summary of four dental emergencies and how you can effectively deal with them.
Chipped or Broken Teeth
If you discover that you have a chipped or broken tooth, you need to be aware that the situation is serious. You will want to get it taken care of before the problem is compounded. The first thing you will want to do is gather up as many of the broken pieces of your teeth as possible. This will allow your dentist to try to salvage the original tooth.
If the area is bleeding, put some gauze on it for about 10 minutes to stop the flow. You can then put something cold on the outside of your mouth near where the broken or chipped tooth is to provide some relief from the pain. After you have done this, get to the dentist as quickly as possible.
Lost Crowns
Lost crowns are no laughing matter. If left unchecked, the work you have already done to your teeth will be lost and you will have to start all over again. The pain can be pretty miserable as well. If your crown falls out, try to locate it and wrap it in something stable. Then, put a cotton swabbed in a little clove and place it over the affected area.
This will help clean the area and help minimize the pain somewhat. If you can do so, you can go ahead and try to slip the crown in over the teeth where it used to be. If you do that, be sure that you put on some dental cement first. Toothpaste can also work. When these dental emergencies occur get to your dentist as soon as possible.
Choosing a Dentist Who Can Handle Emergency Dental Work
You will want to have a dentist located in your area who can handle emergency dental work. This is especially important if you are just now getting used to living on your own. You will want to have a dentist that you can personally rely upon should an emergency happen. While most dentists will not meet you at their office at 2 in the morning, you do want one who can get you in within 12-24 hours. This will often make the difference between saving your teeth and having to rely on something else.
Knocked out Teeth
There are many ways that a tooth can be knocked out of your mouth. If this happens to you, do not think that all is lost. Your first course of action is to try to find the tooth itself. If you do, take care to grab hold of it by the crown and then rinse the tooth as much as possible. Make sure to get rid of the dirt and other fragments that you see. If possible, put the tooth back in its socket and then get to the dentist as quickly as you can.
Planning for dental emergencies provides you with the best chance of success in the end. The key is to take swift action when a serious problem arises with your teeth or mouth. This includes already having a dentist in mind who can perform emergency work. Do not delay and do not think that the problem can go away by itself. You will want to get the situation taken care of quickly to minimize the pain and maximize the chances of saving any affected teeth.