When you have chipped or cracked a tooth, or if one is knocked out, this means you need dental emergency treatment to address the injuries and avoid major discomfort. Our team can also offer tips to ease your discomfort until you can see us for treatment. In today’s blog, your Santa Monica, CA, dentist talks about emergency dentistry.
Common Examples of Dental Emergencies
What is a dental emergency? For many, this could be a cracked, chipped, or broken tooth. Unexplained pain in a tooth, and objects caught between teeth that floss cannot remove, or damage/loss of crowns or fillings are all examples of dental emergencies, along with broken dental prosthetics. If a tooth is knocked loose or out, this is also an example of a dental emergency. When these situations arise, give us a call right away to schedule a visit, even outside of normal business hours. The sooner we treat these issues, the more likely you are to avoid tooth decay or infection. In the meantime, you can take steps to ease discomfort until we can see you.
Easing Your Discomfort
When you face a dental emergency, you should rinse with warm water and bite down gently on a piece of gauze or cloth to stem any bleeding. To control facial swelling, place a cold compress or ice pack to the side of your face. If the tooth is broken or chipped, try to recover any pieces and bring them with you if possible. If a tooth is knocked out completely, don’t touch the root and pick it up by the crown. Place it in a glass of milk or salt water and bring it with you. Don’t try to remove anything caught between the teeth with anything but floss so you don’t damage the gums or teeth. If a crown or filling is compromised, avoid very hot or cold foods or drinks, or items high in sugar as the exposed tooth is very sensitive.
Treating Your Injured Teeth
Our team can repair the teeth, sometimes in one visit! With dental bonding, we use the same composite resin as our lifelike fillings to repair minor damage in one sitting. For more substantial injuries, we can create and secure custom crowns that blend with the tooth and safeguard the tooth against decay or infection. We can restore a knocked-out tooth into its proper position. If you have any questions about dental emergency care, or if you have an injured tooth, please reach out to our team today to learn more. Let’s protect your smile and keep it whole!
Schedule Your Next Treatment
You can call Santa Monica Dental Arts in California at 310-395-1261 to schedule an appointment to obtain treatment for your damaged teeth and to avoid major complications.
