You can (and should) take steps to decrease your risk of dental emergencies by using appropriate personal protective equipment for your chosen activity (e.g., mouth guards for contact sports) and taking care of your oral hygiene. The reality is, however, not every incident can be prevented.
Being prepared to treat a dental emergency until you can reach an emergency dentist for help is important. For this reason, every vehicle should contain an emergency first aid kit. Ensuring that your kit contains gauze and saline will allow you to treat most dental emergencies temporarily.
Looking to get in touch?
Lotus Dental Wellness is always happy to accept new patients, from individuals to families to people just visiting the area. We also offer Emergency Same-Day Appointments for those experiencing dental emergencies. Lotus Dental Wellness follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide and offer direct billing for convenience. We look forward to seeing your smile!
Impact Trauma
When a tooth has been broken or knocked out, the first step is to find the tooth, or tooth fragments, if possible. Your dentist may be able to replace a tooth successfully if you are seen within thirty minutes, so set the tooth aside to be cleaned while you attend to any bleeding.
If the tooth is fully out of its socket, roll a square of gauze and moisten it with saline or clean water to prevent it from sticking to gum tissue. Place this roll over the gap and bite gently, using consistent pressure to encourage bleeding to stop.
Rinse the tooth or fragments in saline or clean water and place in cold milk or tuck it deep in the cheek pocket for transportation to the dental clinic. Do not handle the tooth by its root – doing so could decrease the chances of replacing it successfully.
Tooth Pain
Tooth pain can begin slowly and persist over several days. In this case, we recommend that you see us as soon as is reasonable. Over-the-counter pain medicines may help control the pain until then. If pain is increasing and these medicines are no longer working, you may require an emergency appointment to treat infection. In this case, contact us to arrange to be seen and keep a cool compress on the cheek to help treat pain and inflammation until you are seen. Ice water may also provide relief.
For questions about this or other services offered by our general dentist, contact our clinic today.