Ok, so the title of this article may seem a bit like a contradiction in terms. How can one plan for a dental emergency? Isn’t an emergency, by definition, sudden or a surprise? Well on one hand, yes! But, you can put things in place now so that when you are faced with a dental emergency you are able to deal with it efficiently.
The first thing that our Elmhurst dentists recommend is to speak with your dentist about what to do in an emergency situation. Does your dentist offer emergency care? In the event of an emergency should you call a specialist? Your dentist will be able to tell you what kinds of emergency treatments he or she provides, as well as how you should contact the office in event of emergency.
Once you have this info, you have already overcome one of the biggest hurdles that patients face when trying to obtain emergency dental treatment.
Now, let’s move on to a hypothetical. Let’s say that your tooth is knocked out suddenly. What should you do?
First things first, find the tooth!
Once you have found your tooth, gently rinse it off if it has become contaminated. As you do this, try not to lose any oral tissues that may be clinging to the tooth—these can actually help to keep your tooth viable.
If your tooth can be easily reinserted into the socket, gently put it in place and hold it there in your mouth until you can see your dentist.
If the tooth does not go back into the gum tissue, do not try to force it. This can actually do further damage to your oral tissues. Instead, keep your tooth in milk until you can make it to your dentist. And no matter what, try to see your dentist right away—ideally within an hour of the accident.
Next week our Elmhurst dentists are going to be giving you even more tips for dealing with dental emergencies. So we’ll talk to you then!