Have these happened to you? Here are some typical scenarios:
Your son is playing hockey and accidently takes a puck to the face. He’s alright, but when he goes to laugh it off, you can see his pearly whites have a large gap in them because one of his teeth has been knocked out. What do you do?
You haven’t been to the dentist in a long time and one night you wake up and it feels like someone is sticking a sharpened pencil right through your cheek, teeth and gums and slowly twisting it without stopping. You cannot sleep anymore. What do you do?
You have a red toothbrush after you brush your teeth and you notice that not only is there is a lot of off colour hard plaque near the bottom of some of your teeth, but that your gum line has retreated, making the tooth longer and more unsightly. You don’t want to smile so what do you do?
The above are just a few examples of dental emergencies and you need to do something, but not everyone knows what to do in each situation? Fortunately, we can cover the common teeth emergencies with a step by step guide on what to do.
Step-by-Step Guide on Handling a Dental Emergency
The above scenarios can be alarming and can cause panic. However, empowered with knowledge, we can help you solve your dental emergency and prevent more damage, lower your bills and save your tooth!
Knocked-Out Tooth
You don’t have to be in the NHL or fight Mike Tyson to have your tooth knocked out. We know someone that lost a tooth in Golf, from fainting and hitting a counter, from extensive tooth decay and the tooth just fell out or from a fight.
If you are in that situation here’s what you do. Remember, the clock starts ticking (until when you can save it) when your tooth is knocked out:
- Find the tooth or the piece that was knocked out.
- Rinse it with water.
- Place it back in the socket it fell out of. This is very important! Some squeamish people will have problems with this, but it’s vital to saving your tooth. If you can’t put it back in the socket, put it in a glass of milk.
- Call an emergency dentist in Cambridge immediately and come in for a same-day appointment.
- We will put it back in for you and do everything we can to save it.
- * If it’s a baby tooth, do not place it back in the socket in order to avoid damage to the adult tooth that may be underneath.
Tooth Pain or Gum Pain That Doesn’t Go Away
If you have a bad toothache or swollen gums / face, then you likely have an abscess (infection in, under the tooth).  This could be a life threatening situation if left untreated. Here’s what you have to do right away:
- Call your dental office and book an appointment immediately.
- Before your appointment, you can swish your mouth with salt water.
- You can take over the counter pain medication to control the pain until your appointment.
- You can apply a cold compress to your cheek.
- * Do not apply anything warm to the affected area as it may increase inflammation and pain.
- There is a chance that your gum pain is due to a piece of food in your gums or trauma to your gums. You want to deal with this before it gets worse – infection or inflammation.
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums is a symptom of trauma or gum disease. Either way, it should be dealt with at your dental clinic or it will continue to get worse as it doesn’t fix itself (especially if you have receding gums).
- Call your dental office and book an appointment. That’s it, they will take over the rest.
- You can rinse your mouth out with salt water to prevent future infection for some preventative at home remedy to manage the symptoms until your appointment.
References
- Ontario Dental Association – Dental Emergencies. https://www.oda.ca/oral-health-basics/dental-emergencies/
- Canadian Dental Association – Emergencies. https://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/talk/complications/emergencies/
Leading Clinic for Dental emergencies in Cambridge
If you experience any problem with your wisdom teeth, the first step is to contact an emergency dentist. Next is to get a treatment plan with a quotation after a thorough consultation, x-rays (radiographs) and treatment plan according to the assessment of the emergency dentist. Next is to know if you have insurance that covers the fees what deductibles you need to pay.
At Cambridge Smiles Family Dentistry, we offer personalized services for any dental requirements. Part of our mission is to educate you so we are here to help you with details on procedure, cost, and insurance. With high experience and advanced training, our professional team ensures the highest quality of care for your specific dental needs. Book a free consultation with Cambridge Smiles Family Dentistry today.
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