Knocked
Out Tooth
With immediate emergency action, a tooth that has been entirely
knocked out of it's socket can often be successfully replanted
and last for years.
1. Pick up the tooth by the crown (chewing surface)
not the root.
2. Rinse the tooth with water being careful not to
touch the root. Do not use soap, scrub the tooth, dry the tooth
or wrap it in a tissue or cloth.
3. If possible, reposition the tooth into the socket
immediately. Reinsert by carefully pushing the tooth into the
socket with your fingers. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers.
4. Keep the tooth moist at all times. If it cannot
be repositioned back in the socket, put it in one of the following:
milk, mouth next to cheek, emergency tooth preservation kit,
or if nothing else is available, water with a pinch of salt.
5. Get to a dentist immediately. Ideally, a tooth
should not be out of the socket for more than 30 minutes. It
may still be possible to save a tooth that has been out longer
if it is treated properly
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Broken
or Cracked Tooth
Teeth may break from sudden trauma or decay. Teeth with older
crowns and fillings may decay underneath and weaken the tooth.
It is very important to see your dentist regularly to detect
this kind of decay.
1. Stop any bleeding by applying direct gentle pressure
to the gums. If an upper tooth, apply pressure to the gums above
the tooth. If a lower tooth, apply pressure to the gums below
the tooth. Do not press directly on the broken tooth.
2. Get to a dentist immediately. Ideally the patient
should be seen within two or three hours.
3. A broken tooth exposes the nerve and may cause
extreme pain. Do not take aspirin or aspirin-substitutes that
can slow clotting.
4. It may be possible to do a root canal to save the
tooth or other restorative methods
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Broken
Denture, Bridge, or Plate
1. Bring all the pieces with you. While it is usually
not possible to "glue" it back together, having the
pieces may assist the dentist in planning the repair.
2. We work with several dental labs to be able to
get you a new denture, bridge or plate back as quickly as possible.
3. Temporary bridges, plates and dentures can keep
you comfortable until the permanent one is repaired.
Gum Swelling or Abscess
1. Make an appointment immediately! It's an infection
and it needs treatment. Don't attempt to treat this yourself
or you may aggravate the situation even more. Abscesses are very
serious requiring immediate professional treatment!
2. Do not use ice!
3. Do not place aspirin on tooth!
4. Do not rely on over-the-counter remedies or medications!
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