Dental Emergency
You are enjoying your son's baseball game when - the ball goes sailing towards him! You hear the crowd yell as the ball, seemingly in slow motion, moves closer and closer to your boy. A silence fills the air - closer, closer... he got it! Your son got the ball - but with his face! He turns toward you and even from far away, you see the huge gap in his once perfect smile. What do you do?Or how about this, your toddler is enjoying himself at the playground as you sit on an adjacent bench talking to other moms when in slow motion you see your toddler fall through the monkey bars, crashing his mouth directly against the bottom bar. Try as you may, you just can't get to him fast enough to keep him from harm. Dental emergencies do not happen often - but when they do you need to be prepared.
Toothache
Rinse out debris with warm water. Brush and floss to be sure there is nothing lodged between the teeth. A cold compress can be used on the outside of the cheek there is swelling. Never place aspirin on a tooth or gums. Call your dentist right away;Broken Wires, Space Maintainers or Braces
Remove the broken appliance if possible. If not, cover the problem area with wax, gauze or a small piece of cardboard. Call your dentist or orthodontist to schedule time for a repair.Object Caught In-between Teeth
Try to remove the particle with brushing or floss. Rinse with warm salt water. If you are not able to dislodge the particle, call your dentist.Tooth Knocked Out
Clean area and place ice on it. Gently rinse the tooth off, holding it as little as possible. It is important to keep the tooth wet in a glass of water. If your child is old enough, place the tooth back in the socket while driving to the dentist. Notify your dentist within one hour for reimplantation.Tongue, Cheek or Lip Bite
- Control the bleeding by applying pressure. Use an ice compress if there is any swelling. If bleeding continues or the cut is large, go to the emergency room without haste.Fractured Tooth
Gently clean the injured area with warm water. You can place a cold compress on the outside of the injured area. Call the dentist immediately.Fractured Jaw
Go to an emergency room immediately. An ice compress can be used on the way to the ER. If your child is having difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately.If you need emergency dental treatment other than that which requires the emergency room and your dentist doesn't do after hours emergency treatment, you can usually find someone in the phone book or through a referral by a friend or family member.