A Look at Common Dental Emergencies

Since your dental health is inherently linked with how you feel as a whole, you should always do what you can to take care of your teeth, gums, and jaws. Part of handling a dental emergency in San Jose is understanding how to recognize it. Losing a baby tooth may not constitute a dental emergency; cracking an adult tooth, on the other hand, may very well fit the criteria. In addition to cracked and broken teeth, serious toothaches and missing teeth may also warrant a trip to the emergency dentist. Here is a look at common dental emergencies.

Cracked or Broken Tooth

Your teeth might be strong, but they’re not indestructible. If you find yourself dealing with a cracked tooth, the first thing you will want to do is rinse out your mouth with warm water. This will help to keep the area clean and prevent infection and further complications. If your face starts to swell you can use a cold compress to keep the swelling to a minimum. Call your emergency dentist and find out when you can meet with him or her and determine how to permanently address your dental emergency.

Severe Toothaches

As is the case with cracked or broken teeth and other dental emergencies, rinsing out your mouth with warm water is a great first step if you experience a severe toothache. Although you may have heard that putting aspirin on your tooth or gum around the toothache can help the pain, this is not a treatment that your emergency dentist would recommend. After a warm water rinse, get rid of any food or debris that might be caught in between your teeth. Make sure you are gentle during this process to prevent unnecessary pain and discomfort.

Lost Tooth

If you fall down after a wrong step or receive a hit to the head while playing a contact sport, you may find yourself down a tooth. When this occurs, try to put your tooth back where it came from. If you can’t immediately replace the tooth, store it in a cup of milk or between your cheek and gums.