Do I Have a Dental Emergency?

Procrastination in everyday life is normal. Most of the time, putting something off is harmless and doesn’t affect much. However, it is never wise to start procrastinating when faced with a dental emergency. What you need to do is contact our Washington emergency dentist as soon as you can to prevent negative consequences.

Here’s what you need to know about dental emergencies and when you should seek professional care.

How to Know When It’s an Emergency

As soon as any type of pain is felt in your mouth, it can be easy to label it as an emergency. While it is wise to ask Dr. Lesinski about discomfort you may be feeling, not everything is severe enough for a visit.

Notable dental emergencies include:

• Knocked-out tooth
• Broken or cracked tooth
• Abscessed tooth
• Persistent or severe toothache
• Soft tissue injuries (to cheeks, gums, tongue, or lips) that result in bleeding

Are you experiencing one or more of the above? Call our Washington dental office right away and our team may evaluate your teeth and gums. Appropriate treatment will then be determined to alleviate your condition.

At-Home Tips for Common Dental Emergencies

It goes without saying that a dental emergency is best treated by our dentist. But how should you manage the situation until you are able to be seen? Here are steps you should follow for a handful of dental emergencies.

Knocked-out Tooth

• Locate the tooth and hold it by the crown (top).
• Rinse the tooth off with warm water if it’s dirty. Do not scrub.
• If possible, face the tooth the right way, then try to put the tooth back into the socket. Baby tooth? No need for this process.
• If not possible, try holding the tooth in your mouth as you travel to our office or placing it in a container of milk.
• Call and arrive at our office within an hour of your tooth being knocked out to increase its chance of being saved.

Broken or Cracked Tooth

• Save any pieces of the tooth.
• Rinse your mouth with warm water and rinse any broken pieces of tooth.
• Apply gauze to the area if there is bleeding.
• Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip to keep any swelling down.
• Call our dental office ASAP.

Abscessed Tooth

• If you discover a pimple-like swelling on your gum that is painful, contact our office immediately. You may have a dental abscess.
• Until you've been seen by Dr. Lesinski, rinse with a mild saltwater solution several times a day (½ tsp. of salt in 8 oz. of water) to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface.

Persistent or Severe Toothache

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean out any food debris.
• Floss gently to remove any food caught between teeth.
• Do not put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues.
• Take over-the-counter ibuprofen as needed for pain relief.
• Call our dental office ASAP.

Ways You Can Prevent Dental Injuries

For the most part, dental emergencies are unpredictable. Yet, there are a few easy precautions you can take in your everyday life to save yourself from injury.

• Stick to a Daily Oral Hygiene Routine
• Wear a Mouthguard for Contact Sports
• Be Careful with Hard Snacks

Stick to a Daily Oral Hygiene Routine

A great place to start is to regularly practice good oral hygiene habits. This means brushing your teeth at least twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush and flossing daily. It’s a bonus if you integrate an ADA-approved mouthwash into your routine to combat dental plaque.

Wear a Mouthguard for Contact Sports

If you play contact sports in your free time, Dr. Lesinski recommends wearing a protective mouthguard. When you put one on, you are shielding your teeth and absorbing intense hits to your mouth. Mouthguards are an inexpensive way to prevent costly dental damage.

Types of sports or recreational activities that call for mouthguards include but are not limited to football, basketball, soccer, rugby, and lacrosse.

Be Careful with Hard Snacks

It’s enjoyable to munch on popcorn during a movie or drink an ice-cold beverage on a summer day. What’s not so fun is a broken tooth. The good news is that a broken or chipped tooth can be avoided if you refrain from chewing on kernels, ice, or hard candy. It can be hard to break a habit of this nature, but your teeth will thank you!

Take Tooth Pain Seriously

If you are in any kind of pain that is not subsiding with at-home methods, please call our office immediately. Our staff will do their best to get you in as quickly as possible to avoid the passage of critical time.

We urge you to not ignore dental pain or tooth damage. Delaying treatment can negatively impact your oral health and increase your risk of long-term complications.

Depending on how severe your condition is, we may recommend that you first go to a nearby emergency room. If for any reason we are unable to treat you right away or you have sustained injuries in addition to your mouth, please visit the ER.

Emergency? Call Our Office ASAP

Our emergency dentist in Washington, MI, never wants patients to endure prolonged tooth pain or go days with a broken tooth. We can help treat the situation and get you the care you need to save your smile. Call Washington Family Dental at (586) 752-4545 or contact us online today.