Dental Emergency 101: What to Do When Crisis Strikes
You can’t always keep Dental Emergencies from happening. There are simply too many variables involved. Everyday life poses several risks that you can’t avoid. Although you may take great care of your teeth, you can’t always control your environment. So, what can you do to prepare yourself and your family in case something goes wrong with your teeth or gums? Try these tips now before a crisis can happen.
Set Up a Dental First Aid Kit
You probably have some sort of first aid kit with bandages, tape, antibiotic ointment and other items you might need if you damage your skin, muscles or bones. But, you might not have a special kit for your dental emergency needs. You can make up a separate dental kit or simply add the items to your medical first aid kit. Here’s what you should have on hand:
- Medical-grade exam gloves
- Dental mirror
- Small flashlight
- Save-a-Tooth System: A Save-a-Tooth System consists of a special fluid that you can hold in your mouth to keep your tooth and its socket ready for your dentist to reimplant a lost tooth.
- Temporary filling material
- Dental wax: This wax can be used to relieve soreness from braces or a chipped tooth.
- Toothbrush
- Tweezers
- Gauze
- Tea bag: Why do you need a tea bag? It can help stop any bleeding that gauze won’t stop.
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Floss: You can use floss to loosen food or other debris that gets stuck between your teeth. This often relieves the pain.
- Toothpicks
- Clove oil: Clove oil can stop the pain in the pulp of your tooth.
- Ice pack
- Oragel
- Pain medications
Take Care of Your Teeth Now to Avoid Dental Emergency Later
You can avoid many dental emergencies by taking good care of your teeth. Brush and floss, of course, but also be sure to see your dentist regularly. If you notice any signs of infection, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible to avoid complications that might come up outside the dental office hours. When you keep regular appointments, your dentist can often find signs of trouble before they become emergencies.
Don’t Put Off a Needed Root Canal
If your dentist recommends you have a root canal, don’t put it off until later. A tooth that is badly decayed or damaged is likely to become infected if you don’t allow your dentist to do the root canal necessary to avoid it. And, of course, it’s better to deal with the potential of infection before it becomes a crisis.
Wear a Sports Guard
When you wear a sports guard, you can prevent many dental emergencies from happening as you play sports or engage in vigorous activities. Some coaches require you to wear a sports guard, but even if they don’t, it’s best to wear one anyway.
Have Your Dentist’s Information Handy
Keep your dentist’s contact information where you can get to it at a moment’s notice. You can make cards with the details and put them in your wallet, the glove compartment of your car or at your work desk. If you don’t already have a regular dentist, a moment of crisis is ‘t the right time to find one. Start looking for a dentist now so you’ll be ready if you need dental care immediately.
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