Emergency Dental Care in Burlington On Call This Holiday Season
I was on call for the Burlington Dental Academy Dental Emergency Services this Christmas week. It has been a very busy week for dental emergencies as many dental clinics in Burlington or its vicinity are not open again until Jan 2, 2020.
So far, there have been a wide variety of cases from chipped front teeth, to toothaches due to cavities. There are also some more severe cases like dental abscess leading to cellulitis, lost fillings, crowns coming off and knocked out teeth from a fall.
It was very gratifying to be able to help patients who are truly having some unbearable pain that has been ruining their holidays and enjoyment. There are a few emergency dental care situations that I would like to provide you with some professional advice.
Knocked out teeth
When a tooth is avulsed of the sockets, time is of the essence in allowing the reimplantation of the tooth. The first thing to do is to look for the tooth and check for debris on it. Try not to touch the root part of the tooth at all, pick it up by the crown only. Inspect for debris and dirt, if it is dirty then rinse it with saline solution. However, saline is usually not available in most situations, so it can be rinsed with milk (whole milk preferred) or lukewarm water (not hot) quickly and then gently placing the tooth back into the empty socket yourself if possible (making sure the tooth is facing the right way) and see your dentist right away.
If it is too painful or difficult to place it back into the socket, the best place to store the tooth is in your mouth between the cheek and gums (do not bite the tooth) and see the dentist right away. Storing in milk is acceptable if storage in the mouth isn’t feasible (like young children) before going to be seen by a dentist.
It is very important to keep the root moist at all times when it is out.
If the tooth is a baby tooth, then do not implant the tooth into the socket as it would potentially damage the underlying adult tooth.
When your attending dentist sees you, he or she will also make sure there aren’t other damages to the rest of the face and body. He or she will also try to remove any debris or dirt from the wound by rinsing it with saline in a wash bottle. Your DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) immunization will be reviewed to make sure you are protected from the bacteria Clostridium Tetani. A referral to your doctor or hospital emergency department would be warranted if there are any suspect of damages and potential tetanus.
Chipped tooth
If the chipped tooth is causing pain, you will need to see a dentist soon to have the tooth evaluated. In the meanwhile, you can do the following things to help the situation.
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to get rid of other small debris.
- Use dental wax or sugarless gum on the sharp edges of the chipped tooth to prevent cutting and irritation to your tongue or soft tissues in your mouth. Dental wax is available at a pharmacy.
- Take pain killers if needed to alleviate the pain.
- Avoid hard and chewy foods.
- Save the chip in a box or a bag, not wrapped in facial tissue. The chip doesn’t need to be kept moist. The chip can be useful for the dentist to evaluate the original shape of the tooth or the chip can be reattached to the tooth in some situations. Most family dentists can cosmetically restore your chipped tooth to its original form and shade.
Swollen gums
In cases of pain and swelling due to erupting wisdom teeth, avoid having hard and crunchy foods like chips and popcorn. Do all your chewing on the opposite side and change your toothbrush to a soft or ultra-soft one and continue using the new toothbrush to massage the gums surrounding the swollen operculum on the erupting wisdom tooth. A warm salt water rinse after each meal would also be helpful as well. Take some pain killers if necessary and get your dentist to check out the site as soon as possible, especially if the swelling is progressing fast and doesn’t resolve in a day or two.
For Emergency Dental Care in Burlington
For any other dental emergencies like cavities, abscess teeth, crowns or bridges that came off, sore mouths and loose implant-supported crowns and bridges, seeking immediate treatment from your dentist is strongly advised.
Dentists are trained to treat dental emergencies. Dental problems don’t go away on their own. If you need caring, expert treatment for a dental emergency or any other dental issues, call Affinity Dental Care at (289)-861-5111 to book an appointment.
