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Conditions | Toothache
Treatment of trauma and accidents can often be confusing and
stressful. For minor trauma to gums, lips, soft tissue, apply pressure
with a wet cloth to stop bleeding. Consult a doctor if large or bleeding
does not stop. For avulsed (lost) tooth (teeth) place tooth in a glass
of cold milk and call the doctor or go to an emergency room immediately.
Sometimes these teeth can be implanted and saved.
Root canal therapy is
often needed for the avulsed tooth at a later date.
Chipped teeth can often be bonded with a tooth colored resin or if a
large amount of tooth structure is lost, it may require
crown placement.
There are a number of simple precautions you can
take to avoid accident and injury to your teeth.
One way to reduce the chances of damage to your
teeth, lips, cheek and tongue is to wear a
mouthguard when participating in sports or
recreational activities that may pose a risk.
Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard
candy, all of which can crack a tooth. Cut tape
using scissors rather than your teeth.
Accidents do happen, and
knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the
difference between saving and losing a tooth.
Tips for Dealing
with Dental Emergencies
Bitten Lip or Tongue
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply
cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the
bleeding doesn’t stop, go to a hospital
emergency room immediately.
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Broken Tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the
area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep
any swelling down. Call your dentist
immediately.
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Cracked Tooth
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For the Dental
Patient: Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?
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Jaw-Possibly Broken
Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Go to
your dentist or a hospital emergency department
immediately.
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Knocked Out Tooth
Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the
root of the tooth in water if it’s dirty. Do not
scrub it or remove any attached tissue
fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold
the tooth in its socket. If that isn’t possible,
put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the
dentist as quickly as possible. Remember to take
the tooth with you!
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Objects Caught
Between Teeth
Try to gently remove the object with dental
floss; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp
instrument to remove any object that is stuck
between your teeth. If you can’t dislodge the
object using dental floss, contact your dentist.
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Toothache
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it
out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental
cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other
debris caught between the teeth. Never put
aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums
near the aching tooth because it may burn the
gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact your
dentist.
Information provided by the ADA, American
Dental Association,
www.ada.org
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