When you have an injured or knocked out tooth, this means you need to see us for a dental emergency appointment. Otherwise, the risk of tooth decay and infection will increase! In today’s blog, your Santa Monica, CA, dentist talks about how we treat dental emergencies, and how you can ease your intimal discomfort before you see us.
When to Call Our Team
If the issue isn’t life threatening give us a call right away. Otherwise please call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room. Even if the concern happens outside of our business hours, call us and we will reach out to you with a time to see you or your family member quickly. The sooner we address these concerns, the less likely the patient will suffer complications like tooth decay, infection, or tooth loss. Common symptoms include unexplained tooth pain, objects trapped between teeth that floss can’t remove, or cracked, chipped, or broken teeth. A knocked-out tooth is cause for concern, as is a loose or missing filling or crown. Let us know if you have damaged prosthetics too.
Easing Your Initial Discomfort
You can always take action to ease your discomfort and limit complications in the immediate aftermath. For example, you can rinse with warm water and take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Use a piece of cloth or gauze to control any bleeding. A cold compress or ice pack to the side of the face to fight facial swelling too. If a tooth is damaged, see if you can recover any pieces and then bring them to the office. If a tooth is coed out, then place it in a glass of milk or salt water, never touch the root in the process. If this isn’t available and you’re heading directly to our office, you can restore it to the socket and bite down gently to hold it in place. If your restoration is compromised, avoid very hot or cold foods and drinks or items high in sugar, as the compromised tooth is very sensitive.
Common Treatments
Often, we can correct minor issues in one visit with dental bonding. We also have custom crowns to address emergencies, and we can replace your compromised restoration too. Our team can restore a knocked-out tooth to the socket in many cases. You can also talk to our team about a custom athletic mouthguard to limit injury or you or your kids play full contact sports or martial arts. If you have any questions about our approach to emergency dental care, then contact our team today to learn more.
Learn More About Emergency Dental Care
To find out more about easing common dental emergency situations, or to schedule your appointment for a consultation, give us a call today at Santa Monica Dental Arts in Santa Monica, CA at (310)395-1261.
