If the word “calm” doesn’t come to mind when you think about dealing with a dental emergency, we hope to remedy that here at Farmington Dental and Orthodontics. For no matter what type of dental emergency you may have to deal with, whether it’s a chipped or knocked-out tooth or a complication from oral surgery, we are here to help with our same-day emergency dental care. Moreover, read on to learn a few things you can do to make an emergency situation less stressful.
Defining a Dental Emergency
Not every dental scare is necessarily an emergency, but you’re experiencing a dental emergency if you have unusual or prolonged swelling and bleeding; you have a broken, chipped, or lost permanent tooth; a filling or dental crown comes loose; your dentures break; or you are experiencing excessive pain after a procedure.
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
The first thing you must do during a dental emergency is to remain as calm as possible. It’s likely that you will be scared and in pain, but taking a few deep breaths and thinking through each and every step of your action plan with a clear mind will help things go more smoothly. The next thing to do is figure out what the proper next steps are for your individual situation.
- If you’ve lost an adult tooth, try your best to preserve the tooth (soaking it in a glass of milk will do the trick) and call our office. We offer emergency dental care and are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- If you’ve chipped or broken a tooth, rinse your mouth with 1 cup of warm water mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt to clean the area. You should reach out to us as soon as you can in order to prevent your tooth from sustaining further damage.
- If you have swelling, ice your cheeks in ten-minute increments to reduce the inflammation.
- If you experience profuse and/or prolonged bleeding, and/or increasing pain after a procedure, call our office!
Maintain Proper Preventive Care
Some dental emergencies can be avoided by brushing and flossing your teeth every day, visiting us regularly to detect any abnormalities, wearing an athletic mouthguard when playing sports, and wearing a nightguard if you grind your teeth at night. Here at Farmington Dental and Orthodontics, we save a portion of each of our days to accommodate dental emergencies to give our patients the treatments they need no matter the circumstance. Whether you need a routine procedure or an emergency one, we are here to help. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!