Emergency Dentistry
Unfortunately accidents happen, but we are here to help at Identity Dentistry. We treat chipped, cracked, broken and dislodged teeth as well as soft tissue damage to the mouth. Our dentists will be happy to guide you on how best to proceed so as to minimise your pain and prevent any further damage to your mouth.
It is not always possible to get to your dentist immediately and so here is a list of some common dental emergencies and what you can do yourself to minimise the damage before you obtain professional help:
The pain from a toothache can sometimes be quite hard to ignore. It can impact your everyday life, possibly your work and school performance. At worst, it could lead to tooth decay or infection.
You can rinse your mouth or gargle with a mild salt solution in order to clean your teeth and remove any food that might be stuck. If there is any swelling, applying a cold compress might help the affected area.
If you are in serious pain, you may need to take painkillers. If the pain continues or wakes you up at night, then you should arrange to see your dentist as soon as possible.
Sometimes a tooth can break when you least expect it – perhaps you were eating something sharp or tough, or you have a fall. The amount of pain you experience can indicate how serious the chip or break is.
For example, if the pain is really severe the nerve of tooth may have been impacted. You could reduce the swelling by applying an ice pack. If you are in serious pain you may need to take painkillers and arrange to see your emergency dentistry Canberra.
If your tooth has been displaced and knocked out, it is important not to panic. Carefully pick up the tooth by its crown (that is, not by the exposed root as you could cause further damage).
Carefully rinse the tooth, making sure you do not remove any tissue that might still be attached to your tooth – you are aiming to remove any dirt that may have come in contact with the tooth. If you are able to, try to reinsert the tooth back into the socket (its previous position).
It is more likely that you might save the tooth if it is reinserted within an hour or so of it being knocked out. If that is not possible, place the tooth in some milk or warm water. Either way, you should proceed to see an emergency dentist Canberra as soon as possible or the ED if an emergency dentist Canberra ACT is not available.
You might have an accident where your lip or tongue is cut. Be sure to clean the affected area and apply a cold compress to the bruised and/or swollen area.
If bleeding persists after 15 minutes, you should visit the emergency department at the nearest hospital.
However, as injuries to soft tissue are not as time dependent if you have also injured a tooth then it is important to first address this problem before addressing any tissue damage.
In most cases, you can use dental floss to try to remove a foreign object that might be wedged between your teeth. If that is not possible, then you should visit your emergency dentist near me. You should not try to forcefully remove anything if doing so causes any pain.
If you need to arrange an appointment with our Canberra dentist for emergency treatment, please contact the practice immediately at 02 6248 5692.
