A dental emergency, like a broken tooth or a lost filling, can be potentially serious. Seeking immediate treatment can reduce the risk of permanent damage and limit the need for costly dental restoration. Arming yourself with some dental emergency basics will help you to stay calm and take preventive action to prevent additional unnecessary damage. Of course, for all dental emergencies, contact your dentist as soon as possible.
– For persistent toothaches, remove any lodged food with dental floss and rinse your mouth with warm water. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress. If pain persists, contact your dentist.
– For chipped or broken teeth, save any pieces when possible. Rinse the mouth and any broken pieces with warm water. Use a cold compress to limit swelling and to relieve pain. If the tooth is Knocked-out, be sure to hold it by the crown, not by the roots, preserving any attached tissue fragments. Place the tooth in a container of milk and see your dentist as soon as possible.
– If you have lost a filling, you may fill the cavity with a piece of sugarless gum as a temporary fix. If you have lost a crown, make an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible and slip the crown back over your tooth. You may use denture adhesive or toothpaste to keep it from slipping off too easily.
– An Abscess is a serious dental emergency that can cause lasting damage to gum tissue and the surrounding teeth. The infection can potentially spread to other parts of your body. Due to the urgent nature of an abscess, contact your dentist immediately. In the meantime, to ease the pain and to draw the infection toward the surface, rinse your mouth with a warm salt water solution several times a day.
Dental emergencies can be traumatic and painful. Without immediate treatment, injuries may lead to permanent damage, loss, or excessive expense. It is our desire to provide each patient with the tools to proactively protect their oral health in the event of such emergencies and it is our pleasure to be your partner in doing so. If you or a family member have a dental emergency, please contact our office as soon as possible.
In case of an emergency during closed office hours, you may call our emergency line:
Dr. Szatkowski – (630) 746-7563
– For persistent toothaches, remove any lodged food with dental floss and rinse your mouth with warm water. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress. If pain persists, contact your dentist.
– For chipped or broken teeth, save any pieces when possible. Rinse the mouth and any broken pieces with warm water. Use a cold compress to limit swelling and to relieve pain. If the tooth is Knocked-out, be sure to hold it by the crown, not by the roots, preserving any attached tissue fragments. Place the tooth in a container of milk and see your dentist as soon as possible.
– If you have lost a filling, you may fill the cavity with a piece of sugarless gum as a temporary fix. If you have lost a crown, make an emergency dental appointment as soon as possible and slip the crown back over your tooth. You may use denture adhesive or toothpaste to keep it from slipping off too easily.
– An Abscess is a serious dental emergency that can cause lasting damage to gum tissue and the surrounding teeth. The infection can potentially spread to other parts of your body. Due to the urgent nature of an abscess, contact your dentist immediately. In the meantime, to ease the pain and to draw the infection toward the surface, rinse your mouth with a warm salt water solution several times a day.
Dental emergencies can be traumatic and painful. Without immediate treatment, injuries may lead to permanent damage, loss, or excessive expense. It is our desire to provide each patient with the tools to proactively protect their oral health in the event of such emergencies and it is our pleasure to be your partner in doing so. If you or a family member have a dental emergency, please contact our office as soon as possible.
In case of an emergency during closed office hours, you may call our emergency line:
Dr. Szatkowski – (630) 746-7563