Dental emergencies can happen at any time, anywhere. So what do you do when one happens to you? You call your local dentist in Towson, MD. Dr. Kevin Welinsky of Welinsky Dental Care discusses various dental emergencies and how you can handle them until we can see you as soon as possible.
What is a Dental Emergency?
You may not know what you’re experiencing is something to consider a dental emergency. The following are what we’d classify as dental emergencies.
Tooth pain: Sudden tooth pain, especially if it’s sharp, can mean a number of things. It’s not something that you can really diagnose on your own from home. After you call your Towson, Maryland dentist, you can utilize cold compresses and over the counter pain medication to try to keep any pain and swelling down.
Broken or chipped tooth: A chip or crack in the tooth can range from anything mild and small to large and serious. If it’s a large chip or break, see if you can find the tooth fragment that broke off. Wrap it in wet gauze or a wet towel and bring it with you to your appointment if you can. Rinse your mouth out and try to avoid touching where the tooth broke. If there’s pain and swelling, apply a cold compress to your face.
Knocked-out tooth: If possible, find the tooth that was knocked out. Be careful not to touch the tooth root and to only handle it by the crown of the tooth. If the tooth is dirty, carefully rinse it off, without scrubbing or removing any tissue attached to the tooth. Place the tooth under your tongue or in a cup of saliva. Welinsky Dental Care will see you as soon as possible and the tooth can be salvaged if it’s only been out for a few hours.
Soft tissue trauma: This can mean a bite or cut on your tongue, cheek, or lip. Rinse the mouth and clean the area. Hold a clean washcloth on the cut. The bleeding should slow down and stop within a few moments. If the bleeding won’t stop or you have excessive bleeding, call us right away. You can also go to a regular emergency room if needed, as soft tissue can be assisted there.
Broken jaw: If you think you’ve broken your jaw, put ice on the area. Then, go to Welinsky Dental Care or to the emergency room immediately. This isn’t something that you should wait to get treatment for.
What to Expect From Emergency Dental Care
We know that you’re stressed and scared when a dental emergency takes place. Dr. Welinsky and our experienced team are trained and educated on how to handle emergency situations. We’ll do our best to help keep you calm while we’re taking care of your dental emergency.
If you have a dental emergency, our goal is to get you into the office as soon as possible. If you have a dental emergency at night or on the weekend, leave a message so that we can get you into the office the next day we’re open. If you have something like a broken jaw that can be treated by a traditional doctor, please go to the emergency room right away.
When we treat emergency dental problems, we make sure to schedule a follow-up. We want to make sure that our solutions for your dental issues work and that you’re doing okay. We’ll have you schedule a follow-up before you leave our office.
Emergency Dentistry at Your Dentist in Towson, MD
Welinsky Dental Care is proud to offer emergency dental services. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, call us today or schedule an appointment for ASAP online.