Common Dental Emergencies and First Aid

Dental emergencies are quite common in both children and adults. They can range from bleeding to a sudden injury, hit in the face, broken or cracked tooth, and extreme pain to name a few.

Types of Dental Emergencies

• Cracked or broken tooth

It can happen by getting hit in mouth or chewing hard food. In case of cracked tooth, you must find the broken pieces and visit the dentist immediately.

• Tongue/ mouth bites

If you happen to regularly bite your tongue or mouth, it may be due to bite problems which can be resolved by dental care for realigning the teeth. In case of a wound that doesn’t heal for long, it’s a dental emergency.

• Infections

Infections can happen as a result of poor dental care routine. It can be risky if you suffer from chronic health conditions such as Diabetes.

• Loose tooth and Knocked out tooth

Tooth decay, injury or gum diseases can lead to lose tooth. If the tooth can’t be repaired, it needs to be extracted. If you have one or more knocked out teeth, it’s a dental emergency. The tooth can be re-implanted if you reach the dentist in time.

• Toothache

Inflammation, cavity, gum diseases, and losing a filling can lead to severe toothache. You would need a dentist to determine the cause of the pain.

• Bleeding from mouth

Falling on your face or getting hit in the mouth can cause injury and bleeding.

First Aid for Dental Emergencies

First aid for dental emergency is for reducing the swelling and pain. Here’s a look at some remedies:

• Cold compress and pain Medications

For mouth injuries, pain, or swelling, it can be beneficial to place a cool and wet washcloth or ice pack.

• Preserving the knocked out/ broken tooth

If you have your broken tooth or knocked tooth, preserve it in a bowl filled with cold water or milk as the dentist may be able to restore it.

• Rinsing

For infections, abscesses and toothache, you can benefit by rinsing mouth with warm salt water.