Same Day Emergencies

There are a number of simple precautions you can take to avoid accident and injury to your teeth. One way to reduce the chances of damage to your teeth, lips, cheek and tongue is to wear a mouthguard when participating in sports or recreational activities that may pose a risk. Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth. Cut tape using scissors rather than your teeth.

Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

Tips for Dealing with Dental Emergencies

• Bitten Lip or Tongue
• Broken Tooth
• Jaw-Possibly Broken
• Knocked Out Tooth
• Objects Caught Between Teeth
• Toothache
• Broken dentures and crowns (caps) that fall out

Bitten Lip or Tongue
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding doesn't stop, go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

Broken Tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down. Call your dentist immediately.

Jaw-Possibly Broken
Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Go to your dentist or a hospital emergency department immediately.

Knocked Out Tooth
Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as quickly as possible. Remember to take the tooth with you!

Objects Caught Between Teeth
Try to gently remove the object with dental floss; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can't dislodge the object using dental floss, contact your dentist.

Toothache
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other debris caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. If the pain persists, contact your dentist.

Broken dentures and crowns (caps) that fall out

Dentures and crowns can cause dental emergencies for both seniors and non-seniors alike.The most likely dental emergency for denture wearers is a chipped denture tooth or one that has broken off. If you have a spare denture (all denture wearers should have one), use it until you can go to the dentist and have it fixed. If you do not have a spare and cannot get to a dentist soon, use cyanoacrylate (Krazy Glue) to carefully glue the tooth or tooth piece back into position. This is only a temporary measure until you can get to the dentist for a proper repair. Also, you may consider using a dental lab for a simple denture repair if no dentist is available.

If your whole denture breaks in half, use your spare and get to the dentist immediately. Some people may attempt to use cyanoacrylate to repair it, but it is very unpredictable, and generally not strong enough to hold the denture together.

Senior citizens are also likely to have one or more crowns. Crowns are required to rebuild teeth that have been worn down, broken, have had root canal therapy, or have had multiple dental repairs over many years. Crowns are precision made and cemented on top of the tooth. Occasionally, the crown comes off. This leaves the tooth unprotected, and often sensitive. You can temporarily remedy this problem by using temporary dental cement found at the drug store, and carefully re-cementing the crown. This may not be necessary if you can get to the dentist within a day or two. Never wait more than a few days to get a crown re-cemented. Teeth move and shift very quickly without the crown in place. Sometimes it is not possible to reuse the crown if the teeth have shifted significantly, requiring the dentist to have to make a new crown.