Types of Dental Emergencies
You may not be sure what qualifies as an emergency. Here is a list of some of the reasons you might need to see an emergency dentist:
This list is not complete. If you believe you have a dental emergency, call our office right away and we will discuss the issue with you.
What To Do During A Dental Emergency
There are some steps you can take before you see our emergency dentist that may help improve your treatment outcome.
Severe Tooth Pain/Swelling
- Rinse your mouth with warm water.
- Gently floss between your teeth to dislodge any food particles.
- Do not put aspirin/pain killer directly on your gums or tooth.
- Take over-the-counter medication, such ibuprofen, to bring down swelling and manage your toothache.
- Go to the closest urgent care, walk-in clinic or ER.
Cracked or Broken Teeth
- Gather any broken pieces you can find to bring to our Lake Ozark office.
- Rinse your mouth and the broken pieces with warm water.
- You might see bleeding. In that case, use gauze and gently press it to the affected area. Leave it on for ten minutes, or until it stops bleeding.
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth closest to the affected tooth.
- Go to the closest urgent care, walk-in clinic or ER.
Knocked-Out Tooth
- Gently rinse out the tooth. Make sure you do not hold the tooth by the root, as it is very sensitive. Do not scrub it.
- Rinse out your mouth with warm water.
- Try to re-insert the tooth into the socket. Make sure it’s facing the right direction. Do not force it into the socket.
- If you can’t, keep the tooth moist. You can place it in a small container/cup of milk, a cup of water with a pinch of salt or use a tooth preservation product with an ADA Seal of Acceptance.
- Go to the closest urgent care, walk-in clinic or ER.
Abscess
- Call our Lake Ozark office right away.
- Rinse your mouth with salt water. Use ½ teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of water.
