While our teeth are very strong, accidents can and do happen; it might be a sporting collision, falling off your bike or walking into a closed door, and if you suffer a broken tooth, you should seek dental treatment as soon as possible.
Below is a guide to help you deal with such an emergency.
Assessing The Damage
When you chip, break off or lose a tooth, it can be a very painful experience. Whether a slight chip or a complete breakage at the gums, you should first assess the immediate damage by looking in a mirror.
In some cases, the complete tooth can come out of the socket. If this happens, try to locate the tooth, as it might be possible to relocate it. There is a good emergency dentist near Chatswood and they are equipped to deal with such dental emergencies. These dentists always leave a few appointment spaces clear for such an emergency.
Rinse With Warm Water
You should rinse your mouth with warm water, adding salt to help disinfect the wound. You should apply pressure to stop any bleeding. It is important to ensure that the wound is clean, and rinsing with warm or salted water is the best way to do this
Losing A Complete Tooth
In the event the tooth comes out of its socket, it is important that you locate the tooth and rinse it with clean water. Avoid using any cleaning solutions and carefully wrap the tooth in some wet gauze, before heading off to an emergency dentist as soon as possible. If you can replace the tooth in the socket, do this, as this will increase the chances of the tooth being saved, but if this proves difficult for any reason, put the tooth in a small container filled with milk or clean water and get to a dentist as soon as possible.
Pain Relief
Often a chipped tooth is very painful and you can take some over-the-counter painkillers, but be careful not to exceed the recommended dosage, especially if you are planning to drive yourself to the dentist. Clove oil can be applied to the affected area, as this contains eugenol, which is a pain-relieving agent. Therefore, it is always a good idea to keep a small bottle of clove oil in your medicine cabinet, for such emergencies.
Protecting Your Mouth
There are articles you can find online which give more advice on what to do in the event you chip or lose a tooth. If you have a chipped tooth, this is likely to leave a very sharp edge that can easily cut your tongue or gums. You can cover the affected area with some dental wax to prevent this from happening.
While not all tooth damage needs to be treated, you are advised to see a dentist as soon as you can, and while there are no dental clinics open outside or normal hours, some dentists leave a few appointment slots open for emergency situations. By calling a few local dentists, you should be able to find one who can see you within a short time.
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