How to Handle a Dental Emergency
Posted on September 10th, 2018 by Dr. Peter Tomaselli
As we all know, life isn’t always predictable. Emergencies happen, and when they do, you want to be prepared. While it may not often cross your mind, dental emergencies are something to consider. Chicago Smile Design, your emergency dentist in Chicago, has a few tips for how to handle your tooth crisis.Evaluate the Situation
Stay calm and try to figure out what happened. Did your tooth crack? Was it completely knocked out? Is your face swelling? Once you’ve evaluated the situation, you can decide your next course of action.Cracks
Depending on the type of the crack, you may need a filling, crown, or implant to fix it. On the bright side, if you aren’t in pain, you have a little extra time. Sensitivity should subside, but you still must see your dentist within the next couple of days.Knockout
If your tooth was knocked out, you’ll need to store and preserve the tooth. First thing’s first, remember to pick it up by the crown, and not the root. Touching the root can harm the tissue that allows for reimplantation. There are two ways to go about this:- If possible, dentists recommend placing the tooth back in the socket. However, you have to be careful to reinsert it the right way. Look at the surrounding teeth and try to visualize how it would be oriented.
- If this seems too risky, you can choose to place it in a tooth preservation kit or put it in milk.
