Don’t Let Dental Emergencies Catch You Off-Guard In Mansfield, Texas!
Welcome back to another February edition of the Sanders Family Dental blog! We are glad that you found our online home and hope you are enjoying the last days of winter!
In our family-centered practice, we view each and every one of our patients like members of actual family.
As such, we are committed to always being there to help when you need it, especially when it’s an emergency. We understand better than anyone how dental emergencies can occur immediately and without warning. It is a source of pride at Sanders Family Dental that our existing patients in Mansfield, TX trust us and come to us in case of an emergency.
If you ever need to be seen right away, we’ll make it our priority to find you a spot in our schedule. Our office has an on-call phone that is carried by a staff member at all times of day. Once you’ve contacted us and explained your emergency, we will do the best we can to arrange an appointment time within the next 24 hours, even on weekends!
Unfortunately, every dental emergency is unique, and there is no catch-all list or handbook that we could give to all of our patients.
That said, in today’s blogpost, we wanted to go over some of the common types of dental emergencies and what you will need to do, generally speaking, if you find yourself in a similar set of circumstances. It is always better to be prepared for such things!
Broken Appliances
It’s not completely uncommon for things like bridges and crowns to come loose or fall off of your tooth completely. It is important that you get that appliance put back in place as quickly as possible to avoid the risk of infection or decay. This is where the temporary adhesive will come in handy! A dab of denture adhesive will allow you to place your appliance back over your tooth until you can have it permanently attached here in the office!
Intense Pain
Pain in your tooth in something that cannot and should not be ignored. If you have a very sore tooth that is keeping you from being able to eat, sleep, or function, it is definitely time to call us! In most cases like this, you are probably dealing with an infected tooth or tooth root. You can use a salt water rinse and fast acting pain relievers to get a reprieve from the pain until you can get into the office for treatment.
Chipped Or Broken Teeth
This is an extremely common emergency situation. When you think about it, there are many things that can cause your tooth to chip or break, like using your teeth as tools or openers. While this can be helpful for achieving your immediate needs, we wouldn’t recommend using teeth for anything other than their natural functions. It doesn’t always end well.
Losing your balance and falling down can also bring about a chipped tooth. So, try to be aware of your surroundings and watch your step!
Crunching on stuff like nuts, popcorn, candy, or ice will get you in trouble too. And no matter what you are eating, old fillings can sometimes give out and cause a piece of your tooth to break off while you are actively chewing.
No matter how you break or chip your tooth, the important thing is to never ignore the problem, even if there isn’t any pain present at first.
It matters because whenever you chip a tooth, you can expose the dentin and dental pulp, putting yourself at risk for a root canal or other intense treatments.
Fortunately, we have several treatment options that can revive your tooth to match your natural smile, if you act sooner than later, that is.
Dislodged Tooth
You can bet your bottom dollar that losing a tooth as an adult is never a pleasant experience. It will be painful, traumatic, and embarrassing. Still, it is important to remain calm if it ever happens to you.
It would be best if you can recover the tooth, pick it up by the crown rather than the root, lightly rinse it off and place the tooth in water. Then, you need to get to your Mansfield, TX dentist’s office as fast as you can.
You have our word that we will do everything in our power to save your tooth. If we can not save your tooth, though, we will move forward with dental implants or other treatment solutions that best fit your needs.
Self-Inflicted Bites
Ouch! We’ve all done this at one time or another, and we all know how painful it can be.
When you inadvertently bite your tongue, lips, or any other part of your mouth, you will feel the sting right away.
In this situation, we suggest that you start by gently working on cleaning the area that you cut and securing some sort of ice pack or cold compress. In most cases, the bleeding will stop on its own. If for some reason that doesn’t happen, call us to arrange for professional treatment.
Our Team Is Ready To Help
At Sanders Family Dental, we are here for our patients in the event of any dental emergency. Feel free to call us at any time and rest assured that you’ll hear from someone on staff! Just call 817-779-7111 or contact us online.