Common Dental Emergencies and How to Handle Them

Dental emergencies are painful and stressful, and they have a habit of arriving without warning. Knowing how to respond can make a real difference to the outcome. We see a range of emergencies in the practice, so here are some of the most common, and how to handle each, so you’re better prepared if it happens to you.

A calm, quick response is the thread running through all of them.

Toothache

A toothache can stem from many things, a cavity, an infection, or an injury. To ease the discomfort in the moment, rinse your mouth with warm water, use floss to gently clear any food caught between the teeth, and consider a suitable over-the-counter pain reliever if appropriate for you. If the pain persists, book in to see us promptly rather than leaving it.

Chipped or broken tooth

If you chip or break a tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to the area to limit swelling. Over-the-counter pain relief can help if it’s sore. Contact us promptly: a chip can often be repaired, while a more significant break may need treatment such as a filling, root canal or, in some cases, extraction.

Lost filling or crown

If a filling or crown comes loose, keep the piece if you can and bring it to your appointment, as it may be possible to refit it. In the meantime, over-the-counter dental cement or even a piece of sugar-free gum can temporarily protect the exposed tooth until you’re seen.

Knocked-out tooth

Time is critical here. Find the tooth and hold it by the crown, the white part, without touching the root. Gently rinse it with water and, if you can, place it back in its socket. If that isn’t possible, keep it in a cup of milk or water and get to us as soon as possible, which gives the best chance of saving it.

When it's a medical emergency

Here’s the important line to keep clear. The steps above are for dental injuries. But if you have bleeding that won’t stop, a serious injury to the head or face, difficulty breathing, or any other sign of a medical emergency, that calls for 000 immediately. Those situations come first; the dental side can be dealt with shortly after.

Prevention is still the best approach

Knowing how to handle emergencies is valuable, but avoiding them where possible is better still. Regular check-ups help keep small issues from becoming sudden ones. If you’re due a visit, get in touch with TMJ Therapy Centre, and remember that for any life-threatening emergency, 000 comes first.