What to do
in the Event of A Dental Emergency
Chipped or Broken Tooth
A tooth may be damaged by a break, chip or fracture and
if so due to trauma of some sort like a car accident, or
sports injury, you must act quickly and calmly seeking
immediate treatment from hospital or clinic emergency
services. This should be followed up immediately
with a visit to the dentist. Damaged teeth can
usually be repaired and the dentist will be able to
provide more aggressive treatment such as capping or
filling to restore the tooth to its original condition,
but most importantly to be saved.
Check for bleeding. If this occurs, apply direct
but gentle pressure to the affected gum area and NOT to
the tooth itself. The area in which you should
apply pressure depends on the area of the damaged tooth.
Apply pressure above or below the tooth. If the damaged
tooth is an upper tooth, apply pressure above the tooth
and if it is a lower tooth that is damaged, then apply
pressure on the area of the gums below the tooth.
If there is swelling, rinse your mouth gently with warm
water and then apply a cold compress to the area.
Try to locate the broken pieces of the tooth or teeth.
As in the handling of a knocked out tooth, rinse the
pieces in water to remove dirt and dust particles, but
do not use any cleaning agents like soap or chemicals.
Also do not scrub or dry the tooth to avoid further
damage. And do not wrap it in a cloth or tissue.
Also be sure to keep the tooth or broken pieces from
drying out. They can be placed in milk, or a
emergency tooth preservation kit. You may be able
to keep the tooth or significant pieces of it in your
mouth next to the cheek to keep moist.
Finally, any jagged edges on the broken tooth can
irritate the surrounding soft tissue. This can be
prevented by using a small piece of soft wax or
temporary dental filler in the damaged area.
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