You’re enjoying a nice dinner with your family, and a sudden pain assaults your mouth. You’re playing ice hockey with your pals, you take a hit — and a tooth goes flying. Or perhaps you realize that you’ve lost a crown. Dental emergencies can crop up anytime or anywhere, and they’re nothing to take lightly. When the unexpected happens to you, keep in mind the following advice from an emergency dentist in Joplin.
If a Tooth Gets Knocked Out
A knocked-out tooth, otherwise known as an avulsed tooth, can be both painful and unsightly. It is possible that your dentist in Joplin will be able to reattach the tooth. However, remember that while the tooth might be salvageable, there will likely be some damage to the nerves and blood vessels around the tooth. This means that you’ll need a root canal.
To increase the chances that the tooth can be saved, be sure you:
- Take great care when you’re handling the tooth. Try to avoid touching the root.
- Ensure that the tooth stays moist. If you have milk handy, put the tooth in a glass of milk. Otherwise, you can tuck it between your gum and your cheek. If for some reason you can’t store the tooth in your mouth, or if a child lost the tooth and you’re not sure they can store it in their mouth without swallowing it, put it in a glass of water.
- Attempt to put the tooth back in its socket. Oftentimes, it will slip back in easily. If it doesn’t go easily, don’t try to force it.
- Clean the tooth. If it gets dirty when it falls out of your mouth, rinse it in milk or water while you’re holding it by the crown. Don’t use a washcloth or other fabric to wipe it off because you could accidentally damage it.
Other Dental Emergencies
An avulsed tooth is one of the most serious dental emergencies, and it requires that you get to your emergency dentist in Joplin as soon as possible. However, there are several other situations that merit an expedited trip to the dentist, including:
- A cracked tooth
- A lost or damaged crown
- Gum tissue injury
- Jaw injury
Regardless of what happens, don’t try to minimize the situation or delay getting medical help. The sooner you receive professional care, the sooner you will get on the road to once again having a healthy and pain-free mouth.
After your dentist does his best to repair the damage, you’ll need to take care to avoid future injuries. By wearing a mouth guard while you’re playing sports, chewing your food carefully, and using scissors — never your teeth — to cut things, you can reduce the chances that you’ll experience another dental emergency.
A dental crisis could happen to anyone. Follow the above advice to stop a bad situation from becoming worse.
About the Author
Dr. Young has been practicing dentistry for nearly two decades. His experience and extensive education equip him to care for all sorts of dental emergencies. If you ever need emergency dental care, contact his office right away by calling 417-781-3440.