It can be difficult to know the difference between a dental emergency that requires immediate attention and a regular tooth ache that may simply require scheduling a dental appointment later this week. First off, if you or your child is experiencing any dental pain, we recommend making an appointment. Even if the pain goes away, the dental pain may be a sign of a larger oral health problem, and the sooner you can catch that, the better. In terms of dental emergencies here are a few examples of dental emergencies that require immediate attention.
If you or your child loses an adult tooth (permanent tooth) there are a few things you need to do. First things first, make an emergency dental appointment right away. You should also follow the following steps to potentially save the tooth.
1. Find the tooth. If treated quickly, dentists can actually place your tooth back in your mouth. So the first thing you should do is find the lost tooth, and pick it up by the crown (avoid touching the root). You will then want to rinse the tooth in a saline solution.
2. Place the tooth back in the socket or in a sterile solution. After sterilizing the tooth you can place it back in the socket and hold it in place using gauze or a clean washcloth as you travel to the emergency dentist. Alternatively, you can keep the tooth in a saline solution and bring it with you to the dentist.
3. If possible your emergency dentist may recommend re-implanting the tooth. However, if re-implanting is not possible, your dentist will recommend other restorative techniques.
Never hesitate to call if you or your child is experiencing a dental emergency. Our team of dentists and hygienists want to make sure that everyone in the Lewiston area has access to an emergency dentist that can quickly and effectively address any emergency issues.
My 6 year old daughter has been attending Joy Dentistry for a year. She loves her hygienist Jen. She relates really well to her. She explains what she is doing to my daughter in language she will understand. Great place for children.