Common Dental Emergencies and Their First Aid

For all the conversations that we have with our dentists about taking proper care of our teeth through brushing, flossing, and general good dental hygiene, there are dental emergencies that all the brushing in the world can’t prepare you for.  While many of us have a general idea of what to do in the event that we sustain some kind of injury anywhere else on our body, few of us know what to do when its an emergency of a dental nature. Dr. Adeola Faleye has been handling dental concerns at Memphis Braces for their patients and knows how important an education on Dental First Aid can be.

What Exactly Is A Dental Emergency?
There are many kinds of dental emergencies, and some of them actually find their roots in poor dental hygiene.  Abscesses and infections are the most common forms of dental infections that find their roots in poor dental hygiene, but there are others that are caused by misadventure and trauma.  While some of these injuries seem pretty severe, and in some cases, you might assume there’s no coming back from them for your poor teeth, solid dental first aid can help restore your teeth when you thought all was lost.

Types Of Dental Emergencies
• Injuries To The Mouth Causing Bleeding – If you have suffered an injury to your face and have found your gums bleeding you may need to head to a dentist immediately. This kind of injury is best treated by rinsing your mouth out and applying an ice pack to help ease bleeding and swelling.
• Cracked and Broken Teeth – If you experience this painful and unfortunate experience be sure to gather up all the pieces of the broken or chipped tooth you can.  If your tooth has actually been knocked out do NOT touch the root. If possible you should rinse the tooth and place it back in the socket, this can actually save the tooth.
• Tongue Bites – If you have a problem that causes you to bite your mouth or tongue with regularity, you may need to see a dentist, especially if the wounds caused are not healing properly.
 

These dental emergencies are the most common forms and can be dealt with by using the simple first aid techniques described.  The majority of dental first aid involves cleaning out the wound and attempting to save the tooth, as this leads to the best opportunity for the restoration of any lost or damaged teeth.

Dr. Adeola Faleye at Memphis Braces has been helping patients with their standard day to day dental needs, as well as educating them on what to do in the event of an emergency.  If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, be sure to drop into Memphis Braces to get expert care by a dentist well versed in handling emergency cases like yours. Don’t lose a tooth or experience lasting damage due to a dental injury, contact Dr. Faleye and come into Memphis Braces immediately!