Accidents with teeth happen all the time. Fortunately, all of them do not require immediate dental care. However, if you have injured your teeth, mouth or jaw as a result of an accident, you should see a dentist right away. You may not be sure if your dental accident is an emergency, here is a list of the most common mouth and tooth injuries:
Broken Tooth -- Save any pieces of the broken tooth and rinse your mouth out with warm water. Apply ice to the area to decrease swelling and pain until you can be seen by the dentist.
Broken Jaw -- Apply a ice to limit swelling and see your dentist right away.
Knocked-Out Tooth -- Gently rinse off the knocked out tooth without removing any attached tissue. If possible, hold the tooth in place in the socket. Otherwise, put the tooth in a glass of milk and get to your dentist right away.
Something Stuck in Your Teeth -- Carefully try to remove the object with dental floss. (Don't use a sharp instrument!) If you cannot get the object out with dental floss, contact your dentist.
Toothache -- Rinse your mouth out with warm water. Then use dental floss to make sure there isn't food or debris causing the pain. If the pain persists, call the dentist.
Lost Dental Filling or Dental Crown – When a dental filling has come out, seal the area with a piece of sugarless gum or over-the-counter dental cement. If a dental crown has come loose, try to put it back in place with dental cement. If that doesn't work, bring it with you to the dentist.
Dental Abscess -- If you notice a painful, pimple-like swelling on your gums, rinse with salt water and immediately contact your dentist. Dental abscesses can lead to more serious infections if not promptly treated.
If you have a dental emergency, contact Oyster Point Dentistry.
