Dental Emergencies
Dental Emergency in Highland Village? What to Do and When to Call
Dental emergencies happen without warning. A tooth gets knocked out during a weekend soccer game. A filling breaks while eating dinner. Severe pain wakes you up at 3 AM. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes can be the difference between saving and losing a tooth.
Knocked-Out Tooth: Act Within 30 Minutes
A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the most time-sensitive dental emergencies. If you can replant the tooth within 30 minutes, the chances of saving it are significantly higher.
What to do: Pick up the tooth by the crown (the part you see when you smile), never by the root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with milk or saline solution. Do not scrub or remove any tissue fragments. Try to place the tooth back into the socket and hold it in place with gentle pressure. If you cannot replant it, keep the tooth moist in milk, saline, or between your cheek and gum. Get to your dentist or an emergency room within 30 minutes.
Do not place the tooth in water. Do not wrap it in a dry cloth or tissue. Do not let it dry out.
Severe Toothache
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water). Gently floss around the tooth to remove any trapped food that may be causing pressure. Take over-the-counter pain medication as directed (ibuprofen is generally more effective for dental pain than acetaminophen because it reduces inflammation).
Do not place aspirin directly on the gums, as this can cause a chemical burn. If pain is severe, persistent, or accompanied by swelling or fever, contact your dentist immediately. These symptoms may indicate an infection that requires prompt treatment.
Broken, Chipped, or Cracked Tooth
Save any pieces of the broken tooth. Rinse your mouth with warm water. If there is bleeding, apply gauze with gentle pressure for 10 minutes. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to reduce swelling.
A small chip may not be an emergency, but you should still see your dentist soon. A crack that extends below the gumline, or a break that exposes the nerve (you will know from the pain), requires immediate attention.
Lost Filling or Crown
If a filling falls out, you can temporarily fill the cavity with sugar-free gum or dental cement (available at most pharmacies) to protect the exposed tooth until your appointment.
If a crown comes off, try to slip it back over the tooth using denture adhesive or toothpaste as temporary cement. Do not use super glue. See your dentist as soon as possible to have it properly recemented.
Abscess or Facial Swelling
An abscess is a serious infection that can spread to other parts of your body. Signs include severe pain, facial swelling, fever, and a bad taste in your mouth. This is a genuine emergency.
Rinse with a mild salt water solution several times to draw the infection toward the surface. Do not attempt to drain the abscess yourself. Contact your dentist immediately or go to the emergency room if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing.
When to Call Your Dentist vs. Going to the ER
Call your dentist first for: knocked-out teeth (time-critical but a dentist can reimplant), broken teeth, lost fillings or crowns, moderate to severe tooth pain, and gum injuries.
Go to the ER for: uncontrolled bleeding, facial trauma involving the jaw (possible fracture), severe swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, and dental injuries accompanied by head trauma or loss of consciousness.
At Cafe Smile Studio in Highland Village, we accommodate dental emergencies and strive to see emergency patients as quickly as possible. Save our number: (972) 317-0551. We serve patients from Highland Village, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Double Oak, Argyle, Lantana, and surrounding communities.
+1 (972) 317-0551
+1 (972) 317-0552
info@cafesmilestudio.com
2330 Justin Rd, Suite 300,Highland Village, TX 75077
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