How To Handle a Dental Emergency Part 3.

Welcome back. This will be the last blog in this series of How to Handle a Dental Emergency. Knowing how to handle these emergencies will help you in acting quickly and calmly, should an emergency situation arise.

Have you ever gotten an object caught between your teeth?  It can be rather uncomfortable. Try to remove the object by flossing the area. Sometimes, simply tying a little knot in your floss will help. You can also try rinsing vigorously with water or mouth rinse. Peroxyl from Colgate works well because of its foaming and antiseptic action.  If this does not work and it is still uncomfortable, you should make an appointment with your dentist.  Refrain from using anything sharp to try and dislodge the object, as this could injure your gums and ligament holding the tooth.

Toothaches are certainly not fun. Keep the area around the sensitive tooth as clean as you possibly can.  Over-the-counter pain medication such as Ibuprofen and Tylenol can help to give you some relief.  Do not put aspirin on the aching tissues or teeth as this can cause a chemical burn.  It would be helpful to keep a journal of what stimulates the problem tooth such as: cold, heat, sweets, chewing, etc.  Seek a dentist as soon as you can especially if the pain is becoming more constant or getting worse.

What should you do should a dental emergency arise while you are traveling? There are several things you can do to aid in getting the help you need. If you have Internet access, try www.ada.org.
You can find an ADA member dentist in the area you are visiting. If you are staying in a hotel, ask the concierge or other staff for information in obtaining a local dentist. You can also go to the local Emergency Room and they will probably have some contact information for local dentists as well. If you are out of the country, the US Embassy will be your best bet. Again, with Internet access, you can go to www.usembassy.gov. Click on the country you are in and from there you can look under the heading "US Citizen Services."

I do hope we have provided you with some useful information. Dentalemergencies are no fun, but the more educated you are on emergency topics, the better off and relaxed you will be. Again, if you have any questions with any of the information you have read in these blogs, please feel free to contact our office, Crow Family Dental at (715 )344-6390.