When
your teeth or gums hurt, it can be difficult to decide if you need emergency
dental treatment or if you can wait and visit your dentist in Pefferlaw when
you have the time.
Toothache
Tooth
pain can be tough to deal with, leading to problems with eating, sleeping or
even completing your normal everyday activities. Luckily, there are some
situations that you can take care of at home without an emergency visit to a
dentist.
One
of the most common culprits for tooth and gum pain is a piece of food that has
worked its way between your teeth or between your tooth and gums. If the area
is visible, take a look and see if there’s anything there. If it’s too swollen
or in an area that you can’t see, try gently brushing or flossing the area.
Even rinsing your mouth with warm water may be enough to dislodge a stubborn
piece of food.
After
you remove the food, an over-the-counter pain reliever should be enough to help
with the pain. Resist the temptation to place an aspirin on the area that hurts
because it can cause lasting tissue damage.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
A
tooth that’s been knocked out can be re-implanted in your mouth if you act
quickly. Rinse the tooth off—never scrub it clean. If possible, put it back in
its socket on the way to the dentist. If you can’t hold it there, then keep it
in your mouth under your tongue or carry it in saline solution or milk.
Go
for emergency dental treatment as quickly as possible. As long as you can get
across Pefferlaw and to a dentist within 30 minutes of losing the tooth,
there’s a good chance it can be re-implanted. If the trip takes longer, the
chances of success start to diminish.
If
your dentist can’t re-implant the tooth, ask about dental implant
surgery. No one has to know that you’re missing a tooth.
A Broken or Cracked
Tooth
If your tooth is broken, clean the area with warm water. Try
to stay calm, even if the pain is extreme because of an exposed nerve. It’s
important to visit a dentist right away, even if your tooth doesn’t hurt.
Fixing broken teeth immediately helps you avoid possible painful and expensive
complications in the future.
A cracked tooth may not hurt at all. In fact, you may not
even notice the damage until you look in a mirror. Some cracks are so small
that you may not be able to see them at all. If you bite into food without a
problem but feel pain when you release the bite, you may have a cracked tooth.
Visit a dentist before the crack gets bigger or the tooth breaks.
If you don’t have a dentist, find one in the Pefferlaw area
who is accepting new patients. If it’s an emergency, most dentists will see you
immediately since moving quickly can be crucial in some situations. During an
emergency, it’s important to go for emergency dental treatment as quickly as
possible.