In Case of Emergency

Toothaches

Persistent tooth pain is a problem, and should be examined by your dentist in Louisville, CO. Prior to your appointment, minimize discomfort by rinsing your mouth frequently with warm water. Make sure you’ve flossed– this could dislodge something stuck in your mouth that’s causing the pain.

This is important: never place aspirin or other pain relievers directly against your gums. This could actually burn your gum tissue! When you call us, we will help with pain relief.

Missing tooth

Even with preventive measures like mouthguards, sometimes we just get unlucky and wind up with a missing tooth. This is a dental emergency, so you should be seen by us as soon as possible. However, there are steps you can take to minimize any damage:

• When you find your tooth, only hold it by the “crown” (the part you normally see). Touching the tooth’s roots could damage them.
• You may rinse the missing tooth with water, but do so gingerly and never scrub. Again, this could damage the roots.
• If you can, attempt to place your missing tooth back where it came from (not backwards!). The best place for the tooth to be during transport to your dentist is within your mouth.
• If you are unable to hold the tooth in your mouth, place it in a glass of milk or, lacking that, a glass of water with a pinch of salt thrown in.
• It is critical that you be seen by a dentist as soon as possible. Being seen within an hour of the incident greatly increases the chances of the tooth being saved.

Chipped or broken teeth

In the case that your tooth is chipped or broken, do your best to save all the pieces. Attend to any collateral damage, like bleeding, with appropriate measures like cold compresses or pressure, and see your dentist in Louisville CO as soon as possible.

Extruded (partially dislodged) teeth

This is a dental emergency as well. Use cold compresses for pain management and see your dentist as soon as possible!

Missing filling

Occasionally older fillings may fall out. If you have lost a filling, one trick is to place sugarless gum over the area to protect it. You can also use over-the-counter “dental cement” that you can find at your nearest pharmacy. And of course, see us as soon as possible.

Missing crown

In the event that you lose a crown, call us for an immediate appointment with Louisville Dental Associates, and bring the missing crown with you. If you are able, try to reposition your crown back over your tooth to protect it, using dental cement or toothpaste to hold it in place– do not use any substance not created for that purpose, ie: super glue!

Harm to lips, gums, or tongue

Often soft tissue injury to our mouths can evoke a strong bleeding response; there are many, many blood vessels in our mouths! If you have injured your tongue or other soft tissue your mouth, start first by rinsing your mouth with (mild) salt water solution. Using gauze, apply pressure to the area, and give it about 5 to 10 minutes for the bleeding to slow.

If the bleeding doesn’t stop, or if serious damage– such as nerve damage– has been done, see your dentist or emergency room immediately.

Your safety is our first concern

The team at Louisville Dental Associates is here for you in good times– regular, preventive check-ups– as well as bad– like a dental emergency. Do not hesitate to call us if you have a concern, even if you’re not sure whether or not it actually is a dental emergency— we prefer to play it safe!

Photo Credit: chrisinplymouth via Compfight cc