Dental emergencies can happen at any time and it can be quite distressing. This can be a broken tooth, knocked out tooth or a severe toothache. But it is important to know how to respond to this properly so that your dental health can be preserved.

If you have a knocked out tooth,

You have to act quickly so that you have a better chance at saving it. When retrieving the tooth which is on the ground, you have to handle it by the crown. This is the visible part of the tooth when it is in your mouth. You have to avoid touching the root of the tooth. The tooth can be rinsed gentle with saline solution or milk so that any dirt and debris on it can be removed. But take care not to clean or scrub the tooth with soap or water. You can try to reinsert the tooth into the socket immediately ensuring that it is facing the right way. You will need to hold the tooth in place by biting down gently on a clean cloth. In some cases, reinsertion will not be possible. You can place the tooth in a container with saliva or milk so that the tooth is kept moist. It should not dry out. You can then look for an emergency dentist Cleveland within the next half hour so that re-implantation will have a high possibility of success.     

Due to trauma or an accident,

You may experience a fractured or broken tooth. This can also happen when you bite down on hard objects. The tooth can be cracked, chipped or broken into several pieces. You have to rinse your mouth with warm water so that the area can be cleaned. This will help remove any debris from the site. If you notice any bleeding, you can apply gentle pressure with a clean piece of cloth or gauze so that the bleeding can be controlled. If you notice swelling, a cold compress or ice pack can be applied outside of the mouth. This will bring down the swelling and alleviate the pain as well. You can save any broken tooth fragments and bring them to the emergency dentist. Some of the treatment options for this will include root canal therapy, dental bonding and dental crowns.

If you experience a severe toothache,

This can be due to several factors such as tooth decay, tooth fracture or dental abscess. You may feel a sharp, throbbing or constant pain and this will affect your daily life. You need to rinse your mouth with warm salt water so that inflammation can be reduced. This will also help alleviate pain. Dental floss can be used to remove any debris or food particles that are trapped between teeth. This can sometimes cause discomfort. You can take over-the-counter pain medication to relieve inflammation. But you should not be placing aspirin on the gum tissue directly as it can lead to irritation. You can schedule an emergency dental appointment so that the problem can be evaluated and treated.