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Conditions | 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
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.
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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.
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Cracked Tooth
-
For the
Dental Patient: Do You Have a
Cracked Tooth? |
PDF file/28k
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Jaw-Possibly Broken
Apply cold compresses to control
swelling. Go to your dentist or a
hospital emergency department
immediately.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Information provided by the ADA, American
Dental Association,
www.ada.org
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