The holiday season is filled with joy, cheer, warmth, family, and a ton of yummy sweets and treats. Because of this increase in consumption of food and sugar, this time of year is when a lot of dental emergencies occur. Whether you bite into a hard popcorn kernel or decide you want to open a beer with your teeth after one too many, dental disaster can strike during the holidays. Because even emergency dentists’ hours are affected by the holidays, you should know what to do in the event of an emergency. Keep reading to discover how to best handle various dental disasters from your dentist in Brampton.
Your Tooth is Broken or Chipped
If you can, retrieve and save any pieces of your tooth that you can find. Be sure to rinse out your mouth with warm water and rinse the pieces of tooth, too. If your mouth is bleeding, apply gauze with light pressure for around 10 minutes to curb the blood flow. To keep down any swelling that may occur, put a cold compress on the outside of the affected area. After that, you should try to see your dentist as soon as possible.
You Have a Tooth Knocked Out
The first step you should take is to find your tooth and pick it up by the crown, so you don’t damage the roots. You should then rinse it with water, but don’t scrub it or clean it thoroughly to keep any tissue fragments intact. If possible, try to reinsert the tooth back in it’s socket gently, using your tongue to hold it in place. If you’re in pain or that’s not possible, put the tooth in water or milk to keep it moist.
Whether you’re able to put it back in your mouth or not, it’s important to see your dentist as soon as possible for the highest chance of your tooth being successfully replanted.
You Have a Severe Toothache
If you have a toothache, rinse your mouth out with warm water and then floss because sometimes it can be due to a piece of food stuck in your smile. If it continues to hurt, take over-the-counter pain medication and apply a cold compress to ease the pain. See your dentist as soon as possible if the discomfort persists.
You Lose a Filling
If you lose or damage a filling, stick a piece of sugar-free gum over the cavity to protect the sensitive inside of your tooth. You can also use over-the-counter dental cement found in drug stores. Be sure to see your dentist as soon as possible to get your cavity refilled.
Now that you know what to do in the event of an emergency, you can use these tooth saving tips to get through the holidays.
About the Practice
At Torbram Dental, we have a team of 4 dentists who each bring different backgrounds and passions to the practice. They know that emergencies can be a traumatic experience, which is why they offer quality emergency dentistry services to their patients. For any questions, they can be contacted through their website or by phone at (905) 792-7163.