How To Deal With 4 Different Dental Emergencies

Dealing with a dental emergency can be quite troubling. It's not something that you can typically fix on your own, and may require a trip to an emergency dentist. In order to preserve your teeth, you must know how to deal with 4 different dental emergencies.

Dental Crown That Is Coming Loose

If you got a crown on one of your teeth in the past, you most likely remember how expensive it was to have it installed. Crowns run the risk of coming loose, and can even completely detach from the tooth. You may accidentally swallow the crown, which would require getting a new one.

Thankfully, loose or detached crowns can be reattached. Make sure to hold onto the dental crown until you can see the dentist. If the crown will slip back onto the tooth you should do so, because it will protect your tooth until the crown is fixed. You may use dental adhesives to keep the crown temporarily in place.

Chipped Tooth

Teeth that have chipped can be repaired, but you should try to collect all pieces of the broken tooth. A dentist can actually put the tooth back together, securing it in place with dental cement.

If bleeding has occurred, you can stop it by applying gauze to the area to absorb the blood.

Missing Filling

Cavities are filled with composite materials, such as silver, gold, and porcelain. Unfortunately, these fillings can fall out.

You may not even notice that the filling came out until you take a look in the mirror, or feel a rough edge with your tongue. If it is not causing you any pain, you should be able to wait for a normal dentist appointment to have it fixed. Just be sure to avoid chewing with that specific tooth, and keep the exposed tooth clean.

If the missing filling is causing you pain, visit an emergency dentist right away. They will need to clean out any additional decay that has formed, and fill the cavity with more composite material.

Tooth Aches

When you are feeling sharp and consistent pain, something is very wrong with your tooth. You will need an x-ray done to find out what the problem is. An emergency dentist can recommend a course of treatment if it is not something they can fix in their office. Consistent pain may mean that you need a root canal to fix an infection deep in the tooth.

Now that you know how to deal with these 4 dental emergencies, you will be prepared for what to expect.