Grove's Blog

Grove's Blog

Posts for tag: Dental Emergencies

June 20, 2011
Category: Dental
Tags: Dental Emergencies  

With the pool opened, the kids at soccer games, and an overall increase in physical activity, it’s no wonder most injuries occur in the summer months. Summer is a great time to be active, but it’s also the time when accidents and dental emergencies are most likely to occur.  Understanding how to prevent and handle a dental accident if it arises improves the odds of saving injured or damaged teeth.

Prevention is the key to avoiding a dental emergency.   Take steps now to safeguard your children from dental trauma with mouthguards. At Grove, we custom-fit mouthguards for both adult and little mouths to keep teeth protected during sports. Parents should also make sure children are wearing proper-fitting shoes with good stability and support to help prevent kids from stumbling while running.

Dental emergencies aren’t completely avoidable, so follow these tips if one occurs:

Knocked out tooth
If a tooth is knocked out, retrieve and save the tooth.  Place it in something cold –preferably a glass of milk.  Take the tooth with you to the emergency room right away. Apply an ice pack to minimize swelling, and if bleeding occurs, bite down gently on a wet towel or gauze.  Remember, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible after a tooth is knocked out. Every minute counts.  The sooner the tooth is re-inserted, the better the chance the tooth will survive.

Fractured tooth
For broken teeth, rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the affected area. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, and call Grove right away.

Objects wedged between teeth
If an object is caught between your teeth, first try to gently remove the debris with dental floss.  If floss doesn’t work, contact your dentist. Never attempt to remove the object with a sharp instrument.

Loose Tooth
If an accident causes a tooth to be loose, have the tooth examined by a dentist right away.  The tooth may re-attach, but you need to act quickly.  Your dentist will make sure the root of the tooth is not dying causing the need for a root canal. 

If you or your child experiences a dental emergency, stay calm, act fast and contact your dentist right away. Not sure if it’s an emergency?  As a general rule, if it hurts, it's an emergency. Even small injuries can affect the living tissues inside the teeth.

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