Any emergency is serious and should be treated as such. Dental emergencies, which include any injury to the teeth, gums, or mouth, are no exception. At my Chapel Hill dental office, we understand that a dental emergency can be scary, so we’re here to help give you a few tips on how to handle several types.
Abscess
An abscess is a very serious dental problem and should not be ignored. An abscess is an infection that affects the root or the space in between teeth and may feel like a painful pimple-like protrusion on the gums. If left untreated, an abscess might damage surrounding teeth, tissue, and the infection can even spread to other parts of your body. Because of these very serious concerns, it’s extremely important to get to your dentist as soon as possible. Prior to your appointment, try rinsing with warm salt water several times a day. This should ease the pain and encourage the bacteria inside to come to the surface.
Lost Filling
If you lose a filling, sugarless gum can be a temporary fix. Just make super sure it’s sugarless or you’ll experience some serious pain. Take a piece of the gum and place it into the cavity. Then call your dentist to get a permanent fix.
Chipped/Broken Tooth
A chipped or broken tooth might result from anything like a popcorn kernel, opening packaging with your teeth, or a fall. When a tooth is chipped, the first thing to do is rinse your mouth out with warm water and find any pieces, if possible, and rinse them off, too. Then apply gauze and slight pressure if there is any bleeding, and a cold compress to the cheek to ease pain. Get to your dentist to fix the chip.
Toothache
A toothache is your mouth’s way of letting you know that something is not right. Ease the pain and help keep other problems away by first rinsing with warm salt water. Salt water can help decrease swelling and keep dangerous bacteria from attacking. If the pain is severe, try placing a cold compress against your cheek or apply a bit of clove oil to the sore spot. Again, get to your dentist as soon as you can.
One of the best ways to avoid a dental emergency in the first place is to maintain regular visits to my dental office in Chapel Hill. Regular checkups and cleanings allow us to catch and treat any potential problems before they can turn into an unexpected dental emergency. However, anything can happen at any time, so if you do experience an emergency, give us a call right away.
Welcoming patients from Chapel Hill, Durham, and Pittsboro.
