Dental emergencies are very common. It is important to know a local dentist that can help if a family member loses a tooth during a sporting incident or you notice an issue with a bridge or crown. Having a dentist that specializes in emergencies is the best way to quickly and effectively handle your situation. In this guide, we will discuss the two most common categories of dental emergencies: damage directly to a tooth and damage to a dental instrument like a crown or bridge. If you have a dental emergency in the Southern Maine area give us a call. Our office is located in Lewiston Maine.
How To Handle Damage To A Specific Tooth
Whether caused by decay or an injury, the most common dental emergency is damage to a tooth. Tooth damage includes cracks, chips, breaks, and complete loss of a tooth. If any part of a tooth comes out of your mouth, you should bring it with you to an emergency dentist. It is recommended that if a full tooth falls out, you see a dentist immediately. Do not pick up the tooth by its root (the part that is usually under the gums) and rinse the tooth off with warm water and submerge it in saline or milk. It is possible in some cases to re-implant a tooth or reconnect a tooth. If a tooth is cracked or chipped, you should see a dentist. Pain medication and cold compress can be used to handle swelling and pain.
How To Handle A Filling/Bridge/Implant Falling Out or Breaking
The other most common type of dental emergency is something happening to a dental implement in your mouth. If anything breaks like a filling, crown, bridge, or dental implant you need to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. One of the common problems with dental implements especially those that are attached to teeth, is that the tooth can erode around the implement. This can lead to a loose filling. In fact, one common issue is a leaking filling, where liquid gets in between the tooth and the filling. As the tooth erodes the filling, bridge, or crown can get looser and eventually fall out. As soon as you notice a break or something feeling loose, you should call a dentist, even before something falls out or breaks, you should try and get it repaired.
If a filling, implant, crown, or other dental device does break or fall out, you need to first call an emergency dentist and avoid putting any pressure on the exposed tooth. If there is pain, you can use pain medication or a cold compress / ice pack. But avoid eating or chewing or doing anything that could damage the tooth or teeth. A tooth that is missing a crown or a filling could potentially get damaged if pressure is put on it.
Emergency Dentist in Lewiston Maine
If you need an emergency dentist in the Lewiston Maine area, or you need help with a dental problem, please give us a call, we provide expert emergency dental services.