What to Do During a Dental Emergency

What to Do During a Dental Emergency

Getting your tooth knocked out, chipped or cracked during a game of soccer or football may cause you to panic and worry. Not everyone dental emergencyknows what to do during this dental emergency, which is why Dr. Andrew Elliff, Dr. Laura Elliff and Dr. Alexander Stokowski, your dentists in Batavia, IL, has some advice for dealing with your emergency and solution to fixing those cracks and chips.

What's a dental emergency?

Any damage done to your tooth or soft-tissue needs immediate care. If you experience the loss of a tooth, be sure to rinse your mouth and the tooth. Don't touch the tooth from the roots, just from the crown. Try placing the tooth back into its socket. If that doesn't work, immerse the tooth in water or milk and go to your Batavia dentists for emergency care immediately.

If you experience an injury to your cheeks, gums or tongue, put pressure on the bleeding using a gauze or a moist tea bag. Try placing ice to the injury so as to reduce the swelling and bleeding. If the bleeding persists after 20-30 minutes of pressure and ice, then you will need to go to the emergency room or doctors' office.

What to do about chips and cracks?

If you're worried about chips and cracks in your teeth, your dentists can resolve these using simple cosmetic procedures. One example is dental bonding. This is when your dentist applies a composite resin on to your chipped or cracked tooth, contours the resin so it matches your other intact teeth, then solidifies the resin using a curing light. The bonded tooth will blend in with the rest of your teeth, giving you a smile you don't have to be embarrassed.

For more information on what to do during a dental emergency and how to deal with injuries, call your Batavia, IL, dentists. You can contact Dr. Andrew Elliff, Dr. Laura Elliff and Dr. Alexander Stokowskis at their office by calling (630)-482-7200. Your dental and oral health are a priority!