Dental injuries occur when you least expect so it’s important to have a plan in place if one occurs. By having a game plan for certain dental emergencies, you can act fast and hopefully minimize any long-term damage. Not all dental offices handle dental emergencies so it’s good to know beforehand who to call. Middletown Commons Family Dental offers emergency dentistry. Here are some things to keep in mind about how to handle different dental emergencies.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

If your tooth breaks or cracks, gather any chipped pieces and save them. Rinse the injured area with warm water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Contact our office as soon as possible. Bring the pieces of the tooth with you in case they can be used in the restoration.

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

If a mouth injury knocks out your tooth, pick it up by the crown of the tooth. Never touch the roots. Rinse your mouth with warm water and put pressure on the injury with a clean piece of gauze to help stop the bleeding. Gently rinse any debris off of the tooth. After bleeding has stopped, put the tooth back into the socket if possible. If you can’t put it back in its place, put it in a glass of milk to transport it with you to the dentist. The sooner you get to our office, the greater the chance that the tooth can be saved.

Severe Toothache

A chronic toothache can be caused by a variety of dental issues. First, we recommend brushing and flossing thoroughly around the tooth that’s hurting. This will ensure there isn’t a lodged food particle causing the pain. If that doesn’t alleviate the toothache, you should contact an emergency dentist. You never want to let a toothache go untreated.

Tooth Abscess

An abscess is caused by a pocket of pus and that indicates infection is present. Abscesses around your teeth or gums will not go away without treatment. Handle an abscess as a dental emergency and contact our office for urgent care. Untreated infections can become very serious!

Dental Injuries That Don’t Always Require Emergency Dentistry

Mouth injuries can occur that won’t always need emergency medical attention. For example, if you bite your lip or cheek but your tooth isn’t damaged, you may not need an emergency dentist. You can put pressure on it to help stop the bleeding. If the bleeding continues, contact your doctor. Sometimes a broken restoration or lost filling can wait a few days before you need to be seen by a dentist. Any time you experience a dental emergency and you don’t know whether or not you need urgent care, please contact us. Our team will be able to help assess your situation and provide guidance. For dental injuries, dentists are preferred over hospital emergency rooms unless the accident has created other injuries that require the attention of a medical doctor.

Your Go-To Emergency Dentist in Louisville, KY!

Are you looking for a trusted emergency dentist in Louisville? At Middletown Commons Family Dental, we provide a comprehensive suite of services including emergency dental care. Our team is ready and equipped to help treat your dental injury. We leave room in our schedule to see patients with emergencies right away! Please contact our office to learn more.