A dental accident such as breaking or chipping one of your teeth can be incredibly stressful for anyone. Fortunately, there are some tips that you can follow to lessen the pain and ensure overall safety before you visit a dentist in Laguna Niguel. Here are some steps that you can take immediately following the accident:
- Rinse your mouth with water.
- Stop any bleeding by applying gentle pressure with a cloth. (Call 911 if more serious.)
- If the tooth has fallen off, preserve it in water, milk, or saline solution.
- Use a cold compress for pain and swelling.
- Decrease inflammation and discomfort with an over-the-counter pain reliever.
- Schedule an appointment with your dentist.
If at any point in the process you feel that the injury is serious, then you should call 911 for emergency services. In more severe cases, some people may eventually require an oral surgeon in Mission Viejo Ca in order to restore their smile.
Rinsing Mouth
The first thing that you should do, after breaking or chipping a tooth, is rinse with warm water. This will help remove any blood and bacteria from the area. Rinsing will also help you spit out any pieces of the teeth that may have come loose so that you don’t accidentally swallow or bite down on them.
Stopping the Bleeding
If your injury has caused you to bleed, then you should immediately respond to this by holding a clean piece of cloth to the area. Apply a gentle, steady pressure, without rubbing the area, until blood clots form and bleeding stop. If you notice that the bleeding persists or gets worse, then you should immediately call 911 and get medical help. If the injury involved any trauma to the head, then emergency services will also be needed.
Preserving the Tooth
In the case where a tooth has completely fallen out, you should always try to save it in order to show your dentist. The best way to preserve a tooth is to rinse it with water and then submerge it in a saline solution or milk. You can also just keep it in water to keep it hydrated. If your tooth is loose, but still attached in your mouth, then you should do your best to leave it alone. Do not try to remove a tooth yourself as this can lead to infection.
Using a Cold Compress
If you have a lot of pain and swelling, then you can try using a cold compress. This will slow the blood flow to the problem area, which reduces inflammation and discomfort. You can make your own cold compress by filling a plastic bag with ice and wrapping it in a towel.
Trying a Pain Reliever
When a cold compress is not enough to ease the pain, you may consider an over-the-counter pain reliever. Ibuprofen and aspirin are two common household pain relievers that can help in the case of dental accidents. Make sure to take the correct dosage and ask your dentist if there is a better solution to your pain.
Visiting Your Dentist
Finally, when you have dealt with the immediate consequences of your accident, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist in Laguna Niguel. Make sure to specify what has happened when you are making the appointment so that you can be scheduled as soon as possible. If you have lost many teeth, then your dentist may suggest dental implants in Orange County. Regardless of your injury looking serious or not, it is always a good idea to have your oral care professional take a look at your mouth and make sure everything is okay. They will check for infections and any other issues that need to be resolved so you can get back to having a healthy, beautiful smile.
If your dental emergency is life-threatening, call 911; otherwise, to treat your dental emergencies the same day, call or text us at (949) 364-9600. At Aria Dental, we offer a same-day emergency dental appointment and we are open weekends, evenings, and most holidays.
