No matter how well you take care of your teeth, a dental emergency can happen to anyone. They come on suddenly and unexpectedly. So what should you do if you experience one? Dr. Angie Gribble Hedlund of Esthetic Dental Solutions, a dentist in Alpharetta, GA, offers some advice.
What is a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is anything that happens to your teeth that needs taken care of immediately, usually accompanied by pain or discomfort. If you experience a dental emergency, call our office immediately. Below are some common dental emergencies and how you can handle them until you’re able to be seen in our office.
Severe Tooth Pain
Tooth pain is never something you should just try to ignore, particularly if it’s sharp or comes on suddenly. Pain can be caused by a variety of problems, including infection, an abscess, or severe tooth decay. You may not be able to tell the cause until your dentist is able to take a look. Take over the counter pain relievers to ease the pain. If you experience swelling, use a cold compress.
Knocked-Out Tooth
It makes sense that your first instinct is to panic when an adult tooth gets knocked out. However, it’s important to stay calm and retrieve the tooth. Pick it up only by the crown and avoid touching the tooth root. Gently rinse off the tooth, getting rid of any dirt or debris that may have accumulated on the tooth. Place the tooth in a cup of milk or your own saliva to try and preserve it until you can get into the office.
When you’re there, Dr. Hedlund will examine the tooth and see if it’s still viable for replacement. If not, you don’t have to worry. At Esthetic Dental Solutions, we offer dental implants to replace missing teeth. They’re considered the gold standard of tooth replacement and are the most natural-feeling replacement available.
Broken, Cracked, or Chipped Tooth
A chip or break can range from a tiny cosmetic issue to something very serious and painful. It’s when it gets to that point that it’s considered an emergency. A severe chip or break can expose the dental pulp and nerves, causing pain and making it hard to bite or chew your food. If it breaks off and has a sharp edge, that can cause cuts and damage to the soft tissues in your mouth.
A severe crack exposes the dental pulp to the air, meaning that bacteria can get inside the tooth and cause infection. There are multiple ways to treat these problems. Dental bonding can be molded to replace an area that’s chipped off or fill in a tooth crack. Porcelain veneers can go over the front and sides of a broken tooth. And dental crowns can cover an entire tooth, holding together cracked teeth and giving you back full functionality in your tooth.
Emergency Dentistry at Your Alpharetta, Georgia Dentist
If you’re having a dental emergency, call our office immediately. If you have a less severe chip or other problems, call us or schedule an appointment online!