Dental emergencies can arise in a flash. Usually in the most inconvenient time or place possible. But even when our office is closed for the day, the experts at 425 Dental are still ready to help at a moment’s notice.
To start, if you or someone you know is suffering from a dental emergency – call our office at 425.549.4814. From there, the answering machine will promptly provide you with our emergency contact information – 24/7.
Here are some tips to keep in mind should you find yourself in a dental emergency situation!
Tooth Loss
If the tooth is clean, pick the tooth up by the crown and push it back into the socket, in the correct direction. Never touch the root of the tooth or scrub the tooth before replacing it in the socket. If dirty, rinse the tooth using milk if readily available, or water if it is not.
The ideal environments for immediately placing a lost tooth into are:
- Optimal Storage Environment (OSE) kit.
- Milk
- Water
Please contact us for information on getting your own OSE kit for these types of emergencies.
If absolutely none of these are accessible, your tooth should be stored in your mouth between your cheek and your gums, or within a sterile cloth.
Once the tooth is secure – call us immediately!
Fractures
Chipped teeth without a strong sense of pain to go with them usually don’t qualify as a dental emergency – simply visit us as soon as possible.
Fractures and cracks, however, definitely qualify as an emergency and need immediate attention. These are easily identified by the teeth looking broken, and usually indicate serious internal damage in addition to the external cosmetic damage. When suffering from a fracture of crack, follow these steps:
- Rinse your mouth with warm water
- Attempt the gently brush or floss the area to clean it – if the pain isn’t too severe
- Apply a cold compress to your cheek outside of the area of the fracture. Apply 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off if there is noticeable swelling in the area.
- DO NOT apply any painkillers to the site of the fracture, as this could result in a chemical burn.
Toothache & Swelling
Painful? Yes. Dental emergency? Not usually.
When dealing with an intense toothache, the best course of action is to make an appointment as soon as possible. When describing the issue to the 425 Dental team over the phone, we may suggest some ways to find relief in your unique situation until you can come see us. Generally, you can follow these steps in an attempt to find some relief:
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water
- Attempt the gently brush or floss the area to clean it – if the pain isn’t too severe
- Apply a cold compress to your cheek outside of the area of the pain or swelling. Apply 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off if there is noticeable swelling in the area
- DO NOT apply any painkillers to the site of the pain or swelling, as this could result in a chemical burn
Tissue Injury
For major lacerations of the soft tissue within your mouth, or uncontrollable bleeding or cuts as a result of dental trauma, contact us immediately. For minor cuts or other injuries, simply make an appointment as soon as possible and follow these steps for relief until you’re able to come and visit us:
- Thoroughly rinse with warm water
- Apply gauze with gentle but firm pressure for about 15 minutes
- To control bruising or swelling, apply a cold compress to the area externally.
