Emergencies
Abscess Tooth
If you are experiencing pain, swelling, and/or redness of the mouth and face, you may have an abscessed tooth. The cause of this infection is growth of the bacteria from an existing cavity into the soft tissues and bones of the face and neck. An infected tooth that has not received proper dental care can cause a dental abscess to form. With an advanced infection, you can even suffer nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and diarrhea. The signs of dental abscess can include gum inflammation, swelling, tenderness, pus drainage, and sometimes difficulty opening your mouth or swallowing. If you think you have an abscess, call our office immediately. If you cannot reach a dentist, go to the emergency room for evaluation and treatment.
Tooth Ache
Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use aspirin on the aching tooth or on the gum. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, acetaminophen is recommended. See a dentist as soon as possible.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek
Ice can be applied to any bruised areas. For bleeding, apply firm (but gentle) pressure with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. If the bleeding does not stop with pressure or continues after 15 minutes, go to an emergency room.
Broken Braces and Wires
Remove a broken appliance only if it comes out easily. If it is lodged or painful to remove, cover any protruding edges with wax, cotton balls, gauze or chewing gum. DO NOT REMOVE any wire caught in the gums, cheek or tongue; see a dentist immediately. Emergency attention is usually not required for loose or broken appliances that cause no discomfort.
Broken Tooth
Rinse the area with warm water. Put a cold compress over the facial area of the injury. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Get immediate dental attention.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top) and not the root end. Rinse, but do not clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. Reinsert the tooth in the socket and hold it in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, carry it in a cup containing milk or water. Because time is essential, see a dentist immediately.
Other Emergency Conditions:
Possible Broken Jaw
In the event of jaw injury, tie the mouth closed with a towel, tie or handkerchief. Go immediately to an emergency room.
Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out
Fold a piece of gauze and place it (tightly) over the bleeding area. Bite down on the gauze for 15 minutes; if bleeding continues, see a dentist.
Cold or Canker Sores
Over-the-counter medications will usually provide temporary relief. If sores persist, visit your dentist.
Sports Mouthguards
As children become more active in sports and physical activity, they should use mouth protectors to prevent injury to their permanent teeth. Most parents know that a child playing contact sports, such as hockey or football, needs to wear a mouth protector, but many don’t realize that non-contact activities such as bike riding are leading causes of accidents that damage teeth. Mouth protectors can cushion blows that would otherwise cause broken teeth and injuries to the lips, face and jaw.
TMJ Treatment and Night Guards
TMJ dysfunction is a problem related to your complex jaw joint. Some symptoms related to this disorder are clicking, popping or pain in the front of the ear, headache or teeth that no longer touch when you bite. Also, if it is hard to use your front teeth to bite or tear food and if your teeth seem sensitive, loose, broken, or worn, you may have the symptoms of TMJ. With the right treatment, you can find relief. Please contact our office soon if you think a TMJ dysfunction is affecting you. If it is determined that you are grinding your teeth while you sleep, an appliance called a night guard can be custom fabricated to cover your teeth at night to absorb the force of grinding.
Jaw Surgery
Corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) treats and corrects abnormalities of the facial bones, specifically the jaws and the teeth. Often, these abnormalities cause difficulty associated with chewing, talking, sleeping and other routine activities.Orthognathic surgery can correct these problems and improve the overall appearance of the facial profile.
Root Canal
Root canal therapy is aimed at saving a tooth that may otherwise have to be extracted. It is necessary when the soft inner tissue, or “pulp,” of the tooth becomes inflamed or infected. During therapy, the diseased pulp is removed from the tooth and the canal itself is reshaped. This allows the treated tooth to remain nourished by the surrounding gums and jaw.