Accidents can happen when you least expect it, but generally people know what to do when something bad has happened, such as someone needing an ambulance because they are injured. When you find yourself in an emergency because of your teeth, it is not always as straightforward. People often panic and do not know what to do first, but your emergency dentist in Buckinghamshire is there for you when you have knocked out or chipped a tooth, or even if you are just in an extreme amount of pain.
Have you knocked one of your teeth out in an accident?
Whether you have chipped or completely knocked your tooth out it can be just as distressing to know what to do in the moment. You should always phone your dentist and book an appointment as soon as possible so they can assess the condition of the damaged area and find out how much damage has actually been done. However, there are things that you can do whilst you wait for your appointment to increase your chances of saving your tooth.
If you have knocked your tooth out then if you hope to have it reattached the first thing you need to do is find the tooth and make sure it’s clean. If it looks dirty you can clean it with saliva or rinse it in milk, but it is important that you avoid touching the root of the tooth. This means you should only pick it up by the white bit, or the ‘crown’. If you can, whilst holding the crown of the tooth, try and gently put the tooth back into place, as returning it to its original position as soon as possible will increase its chances of fusing back together. If you are successful in slotting the tooth back into position you can bite down gently on a cloth to help keep it in place until you are seen by your dentist.
If your child has knocked out a baby tooth then you should never try and put it back into place. It is important for you to take them to their dentist for a check-up, but it is more than likely that their adult tooth will just come through naturally on its own.
Severe wisdom tooth pain can be an emergency
More often than not people’s wisdom teeth will come through without a problem. However, for those of you who experience pain and discomfort because of your wisdom teeth, it is important that you see a dentist to ensure that they do not need to be removed.
Sometimes wisdom teeth can grow at an angle, causing your other teeth to feel under pressure and to irritate your gums. They can sometimes become stuck after managing to push halfway through, and this can leave you open to infection. If your wisdom teeth get infected it can potentially spread to your other teeth and cause all sorts of problems, so if you find that you are suffering regularly with your wisdom teeth or you are experiencing extreme pain, it may be time for you to have them removed.