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Knocked out
Permanent Tooth -
You may rinse the tooth for 10 seconds but DO NOT scrub or handle the
tooth unnecessarily. Inspect the root of the tooth for fractures. If
it is sound, try to reinsert it in its socket immediately. Hold the
tooth in place by biting on the gauze. If you cannot reinsert the tooth,
transport the tooth in a cup containing water or milk. The tooth may
also be carried in the the patients mouth (be careful not to swallow
it!) See your dentist immediately, or go to the emergency room. Time
is a critical factor in saving the tooth - the sooner it's reimplanted
the greater the chance it will reattach successfully.
Bleeding
After Baby Tooth Falls Out -
Fold and pack clean gauze over the bleeding area. Have them bit
on the gauze, or apply pressure, for 15 minutes. Repeat if necessary.
Call your dentist if bleeding persist more than an hour.
Broken Tooth
or Filling Without Pain -
Call your dentist to have
the tooth looked at. If the area is very sharp, some products available
at the drugstore (Den Temp), can be useful during awkward times if covering
the area gives you relief. You may also be able to push wax or chewing
gum in the area till you can be seen.
Toothache
-
Tooth pain needs
to be treated by a dentist promptly, but in the interim you could try
these suggestions. Clean area of the affected tooth thoroughly with
warm water. Use dental floss or a toothbrush to dislodge impacted food
or debris. If covering the area gives you relief, some products available
at the drugstore (Den Temp) can be useful. Do not place aspirin directly
on the gum or aching tooth since this will cause an acid burn. Assuming
you have no medical contraindications, instead use a pain medication
like aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Aleve - up to 800mg every 6 hours)
as directed, till you can be seen by your dentist.
Loose Crown,
Bridge or Temporary -
Call your dentist to have the prosthesis evaluated as soon as possible.
These situations can many times be awkward of these teeth are in an
obvious area. You can sometimes carefully wear the loosened crown, bridge
or temporary till you can be seen if it still fits snugly back over
the prepared teeth. Use a denture adhesive (Fixodent) under the prosthesis
to secure it after cleaning the area with your toothbrush. Avoid using
super glue in these kinds of situations.
Cut or Bitten
Tongue, Lip or Cheek -
Apply ice to the bruised areas. If there is bleeding apply firm but
gentle pressure with gauze or cloth. If cut is large or deep, or if
bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, take the patient to the hospital
emergency room.
Broken Denture
-
There are some useful temporary repair materials sold in drugstores,
but most denture failures have to be sent to a lab for a permanent fix.
Super glue can create more if a mess in these situations, and usually
are not very successful.
Possible
Fractured Jaw -
If a fractured jaw is suspected, try to immobilize the jaws by using
a towel, tie, or handkerchief, and go to the nearest hospital emergency
room.
Mouth Sores
and Ulcers -
There are many products available over-the-counter for different mouth
sores and ulcers. Ulcers inside the cheek can be painful to salty and
acidic foods, but usually resolve on their own in 10-14 days. You can
get a prescription for a topical anesthetic from your dentist to apply
to those areas if needed. Those on the lips are frequently viral, and
are contagious, so be careful not to spread it to others while the sore
is open. Most remedies are palliative, though anti-viral medications
can be prescribed for you by your dentist to lessen the healing time
and severity of outbreaks.
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