What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Imagine you’re enjoying the afternoon at the ballpark. Your son is playing first base, his favorite position. The sun is warm and refreshing. The robins are hopping around out in center field, looking for worms. The leaves are whistling in the slight breeze that is making this the best baseball day ever.

The ball is hit and, next thing you know, your son is bleeding. You go to him and notice he just got smacked in the face by a baseball, affecting his teeth. What do you do?

Lifetime Smiles in Austin handles dental emergencies like the one described above. We are available 24/7 for any dental need that might arise. If you experience a dental emergency, it’s important to know what to do before you reach our offices.

HOW TO HANDLE A DENTAL EMERGENCY

1. Don’t panic. Panic is the worst thing you can do, especially if someone else is the one impacted. Take a deep breath and assess the situation.
2. Stop the bleeding. If your dental emergency involves blood, stop the bleeding. Put pressure on the wounded area but be careful. If a tooth has been moved, work around the now loose tooth, so you don’t do further damage. Rinse the mouth and try to put gauze on the wound.
3. Call your emergency dentist. Some dentists don’t offer emergency services, so find one that does. An emergency room will not provide you much help. Make arrangement to see him or her as soon as possible, most likely at his or her dentist’s office.
4. A tooth is knocked out. For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If possible, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place the tooth in-between your cheek and gums or in milk.
5. A tooth is cracked. For a cracked tooth, rinse the mouth with warm water as soon as possible to clean the area.
6. Your jaw may be broken. If you think your jaw is broken, apply cold compresses to reduce the swelling. Call an emergency dentist first to get his or her opinion on the situation. If it’s severe, a visit to the emergency room may be more appropriate.
7. Use ice. To stop the swelling, put cold compresses on the impacted area as gently as possible in order to prevent further damage.
8. Get to your dentist’s office right away. No, this isn’t a license to speed, but time is of the essence, especially in the case of a knocked out adult tooth. It may be possible to reattach the tooth and save it with immediate attention.

In most cases, your dentist can handle most emergency dental issues that arise. At Lifetime Smiles, we treat emergency dental patients day or night. We understand how devastating and painful an injury to your mouth can be, and we don’t want anyone to suffer longer than needs be.

If you think you need an emergency dentist, or even if you’re unsure if you need one, give Lifetime Smiles and Dr. Arzegar in Austin a call. Dr. Arzegar can meet you at our office and make sure you get the care you need. Contact us today!