From a broken
Accidents happen. From a broken tooth to even a broken jaw,
certain steps can be taken to lessen the pain and damage while seeking dental
treatment. First, it is important to remain
calm and contact
your dentist as soon as possible. Keep a copy of your dentist’s after hour and
daytime phone numbers in a convenient place or stored on your cell phone. Many dental emergencies can be handled over
the phone and then followed up with a dental appointment in the next few
days. Some emergencies need immediate
attention by your dentist or at an emergency room.
Toothache
A toothache is usually the result
of an infection from tooth decay or inflamed gums. Rinse your mouth with warm water and gently
use your toothbrush or dental floss to make sure there is no food impacted in
or between teeth. The pain can usually
be controlled with Ibuprofen and Tylenol.
Placing an ice pack on your face over the area of pain will help. A bag
of frozen peas works well for an ice pack and can be reused, but remember to
mark the bag so you don’t eat the peas at a later date. Your dentist will usually prescribe
antibiotics and schedule appropriate treatment.
A toothache left untreated will worsen over time; the dental infection
will spread becoming an abscess, affecting the jawbone and other teeth. A dentist should be seen as soon as possible
to prevent possible spread of the infection.
Chipped Tooth
An
injury resulting in a fracture to a tooth or teeth is a fairly common occurrence,
especially during childhood. If the
tooth is not sensitive, then make an appointment with your dentist to check and
repair the chipped tooth. Watch for
darkening of the tooth or a swelling in the gums, which are signs of nerve
damage. Seek help immediately if there
is sever tooth pain to touch or air.
A short-term trick to protect a fractured
tooth is to cover the tooth with sugarless gum.
Don’t use sugar gum or it could worsen the area. The sugarless gum coverage can keep your
tongue from being cut while playing with a sharp tooth edge. Also the gum coverage can help prevent
temperature sensitivity on the fractured tooth.
Children or adults who engaged in contact
sports such as soccer, basketball, football, or wrestling should wear a mouth
guard for protection against injury to the mouth and teeth. Custom fitted mouth guards can be fabricated
in the dental office, while regular mouth guards are available in sporting
goods store. Mouth guards are an
inexpensive way to prevent tooth injuries.
Broken Jaw
Usually you will
have pain and swelling in the joint area, ear or tongue. Often you will not be able to close your jaw
or get your upper and lower teeth to align properly. Use an ice pack to control swelling and
pain. Stabilize the jaw, using a small
towel wrapped beneath the jaw and tied on top of the head [like in the old
Three Stooges comedy films]. The jaw
needs to set by an Oral Surgeon referred by your dentist or a hospital
emergency room.
Knocked Out Tooth
When
a permanent tooth is knocked out of the mouth, it is essential that treatment
be sought immediately to insure the best possible chance of saving the
tooth. The tooth needs to be reinserted
within the first hour after the accident. On the other hand, a knocked out,
baby tooth should not be saved or placed back into the socket because it might
damage the developing permanent tooth.
Here
are some important steps to follow if a permanent tooth is knocked out of the
mouth:
- Remain calm and bite on a clean cloth or gauze with pressure to control any bleeding.
- Find the tooth and pick up the tooth by the crown only, do not touch the root surface. A ligament surrounds the outside of the root and can be easily damaged.
- Rinse off any dirt gently with running water. Do not scrub the tooth.
- Gently try to reinsert the tooth into the socket and hold in place with firm pressure.
- If the tooth won’t go into the socket, put it in saliva inside the lip of the mouth, or place in a glass of milk, or use Save-A-Tooth® for transfer to a dentist for reinsertion. Do not let the tooth dry out. [Save-A-Tooth® is a kit for preserving an knocked out tooth during transfer to a dentist for reinsertion. Save-A-Tooth® can be purchased at local pharmacy and is a great addition to a first aid kit, especially for sports teams. In fact, most professional sports teams as well as the U.S. Olympic team use Save-A-Tooth®.]
- Head to the dentist immediately. For reinsertion, success is directly related to the amount of time from the accident to replacement.
Often
times a tooth is push out of place but still remains in the boney socket from
an injury. With a permanent tooth, it is important to place the tooth back into
its original position. Gently push the
tooth back into that position and hold it there. Biting can also help push the tooth into its
original position. If seen soon, a
dentist can numb the area and press the tooth back into position and then bond
it into its original position until healing is completed. The sooner you see the dentist, the better
chance of positioning the tooth correctly.
Many
years ago, I treated an 11-year–old boy who had a bicycle accident and damaged
his upper front teeth. One tooth was
chipped which I repaired with a bonded filling.
A second tooth was fracture into the nerve, so root canal therapy was
completed with a large tooth-colored filling. A third front tooth was knocked
down and back, so I press it back into position. All three teeth were
temporarily bonded together, which held them in place while the bone and gums
healed. After 6 months, I removed the
bonding and smoothed the teeth, which were firm and look good. When he was 17,
after braces for teeth alignment, he had permanent cosmetic crowns and
veneers. He had a great smile for his
senior pictures.
ENJOY LIFE AND KEEP SMILING!
George Malkemus
has had a Family and Cosmetic Dental Practice in Rohnert Park for over 27 years.
George A. Malkemus, DDS
Dentist in Rohnert Park2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Phone: (707) 585-8595
MalkemusDDS.com
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