What to do when you need an Emergency Dentist

Sometimes we forget how much peril everyday life puts our teeth in. Taking a bite out of a fresh apple, playing pretty much any sport, chewing ice, or just a healthy dose of clumsiness can result in a chipped, broken, knocked out, or loose tooth.  Dr. Cox is a trained emergency dentist and we at Advanced Dental have treated numerous tooth injuries in Lebanon. We know that it can be very scary and there are plenty of myths flying around, so we wrote this article as a guide for you to use in times of tooth injury and general tooth crisis. As always, feel free to call us at Advanced Dental and we will walk you through the steps or answer any questions you may have.

Life is full of colorful opportunities to injure your teeth. The important thing is not how your tooth has been broken, chipped, fractured, or knocked loose, but what steps you take to ensure Dr. Cox has the best chance of restoring your smile to its natural, happy state. Use this guide to prepare yourself for any situation.

Oh no! You have a loose tooth! Here’s what to do:

• Follow the golden rule – “It it’s still in your mouth, don’t take it out!” No matter how flimsy the connection may be, if your tooth is attached in any way do not wiggle it and do not do anything to try to remove it. In fact, it is best to touch it as little as possible.
• Call your emergency dentist, Dr. Cox, immediately and we’ll talk you through it.
• Head over to Advanced Dental. We’ll get you in as soon as we can for an emergency appointment and Dr. Cox will set you right.

Ouch! Something knocked your tooth clean out of your mouth! Here’s what to do:

• Find the tooth! If it is dirty from being on the ground or even a less desirable place, rinse it clean with lukewarm water. DO NOT use anything other than water to rinse, attempt to scrub or disinfect it, or remove any tissue that is hanging on.
• The tooth has a much better chance of survival if it doesn’t dry out. Setting the tooth in a container with milk is the best option, but lukewarm water will suffice if milk is absent from the scene of the tooth crime.
• Again, Call Dr. Cox right away and we’ll help you get through your tooth trauma.
• Get to Advanced Dental and we’ll see you as soon as possible.

What’s the Key Ingredient in These Situations?

Time, of course! If you or a family member has experienced a tooth injury or are in need of an emergency dentist, it is best to deal with it immediately. The success of any treatment we administer after an injury is largely dependent on how soon you get here. Ideally, Dr. Cox would prefer to see you less than 30 minutes after the tooth injury in order to give you the best chance of a successful re-implantation. However, don’t panic if it’s been longer, because we might still be able to help you, even after several hours.

We like to see healthy, confident smiles all over Lebanon, so please let us know anytime you, a friend, or a member of your family has suffered from a lost or broken tooth. We care about your oral health and Advanced Dental will always do our best to keep your teeth safe!

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