It’s not common to break, chip, or crack a tooth unless you engage in activities where the risk is high. Falling on your face, biting down on something hard, getting struck by something on the face, or getting into a vehicular accident are just some incidences that can lead to a damaged tooth. Depending on the health of your teeth and the type of injury, the damage on your tooth can range from mild to severe.
Before you call an experienced emergency dentist in Townsville or any other location, here’s what you need to do immediately after the incident:
Wash your mouth
Immediately after the incident, wash your mouth with warm water to clean it. Apply pressure to the area using a piece of gauze and then reduce swelling with a cold compress.
Find your tooth
If you can still find the broken piece of tooth, wrap it around damp gauze or dental cement so you can bring it to your dentist’s appointment. On the other hand, if you lose the whole tooth, clean it with water and put it in saline solution or water. Pop it back into the socket of your gums, if possible. If not, keep it safe until you reach the dentist.
Contact your dentist
You must contact your dentist as soon as possible for emergency dental care. If left untreated, your tooth may become infected or gain more damage. However, some cracks and chips don’t need to be treated by a dentist. For instance, “craze lines” or tiny cracks are common and don’t penetrate past the tooth enamel.
If you’re unsure whether a crack or chip is deep, going to the dentist is highly recommended to find out the extent of the damage. But if you are in a lot of pain, have lost the tooth entirely, or are bleeding heavily, you can treat the case as a dental emergency and go to your dentist as soon as possible.
Take OTC pain medication
If the tooth is painful, you can take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and pain relievers as needed. Make sure not to go over the recommended dosage per day, though. Keep applying a cold compress to numb the area and ease your pain.
Cover the jagged edge
Your tooth may break and end up with a jagged or sharp edge, which can scratch on your tongue and the inside of your cheeks. To keep your tooth from hurting your mouth, cover the edge with sugarless gum or dental wax.
Have a soft diet
To prevent making the damage worse, eat soft or liquid foods as you wait for treatment (if you must eat). Examples of which are soups, milkshakes, ice cream, jelly, yogurt, soft cheeses, pudding, cooked fruit, and the like.
Chipping or breaking a tooth is often a painful and scary experience, which is why it’s imperative that you know what to do until you get to the dentist. If you damage your tooth in any way, seeing a dentist immediately can help prevent more serious problems or losing your tooth completely.
