YOUR DENTIST IN LAWRENCEBURG DEFINES “DENTAL EMERGENCY”

“Ouch!”

“That hurts!”

You shouldn’t ever wince in pain about something in your mouth — and if you do, it’s a sign you need to visit your dentist in Lawrenceburg ASAP.

Sometimes adults put off visiting the dentist even though they need urgent care simply because they are reluctant to admit what they’re experiencing is, indeed, an emergency. Don’t let that happen to you! Remember that if you are in pain or bleeding from your mouth, you should call your dentist sooner rather than later.

But what counts as a dental emergency? A chipped tooth with no pain isn’t one, for example. Let’s take a look at some of the most common things that can go wrong with your teeth or oral health and see whether or not they need rapid attention.

Toothache Emergency?

Healthy teeth don’t hurt, and if you have an aching or throbbing tooth, that’s a sign you need to visit your dentist right away. An emergency dentist can get you into the office quickly to prevent the ache from turning into an infection that can put your overall health at risk.

Some of the things that can go wrong with a toothache include:

• Abscess, which causes extreme pain
• Affected work performance
• Infection that spreads to the brain
• Premature death, in the worst cases

Often for a toothache, we’ll provide a crown or perform an emergency root canal treatment. No one wants a root canal, but the procedure is often the only way to save a tooth that’s on its last leg.

Broken Tooth: Is It or Isn’t It?

If you’ve broken a tooth, you need to see your dentist quickly — but it’s not necessarily an ASAP situation. Call us soon and describe the details of the break. We’ll assess the case and plan on a time for you to come in as soon as is necessary for treatment.

If you are able to collect any larger pieces that have broken off, please do so. Rinse away any larger debris and store the pieces. It may be possible to reattach them.

Until you can reach our office, you may want to apply an ice pack to the cheek to reduce swelling. Use it in 10-minute intervals — 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off.

Our team will also instruct you to rinse your mouth out with warm salt water to soothe the area and prevent infection.

What About a Knocked Out Tooth?

If you have knocked out a tooth, seeking treatment within 2 hours is vital for the possibility of reattachment.

Collect the missing tooth and rinse away any debris that may have collected on its surface. Do not scrub the tooth or touch its root. Store the tooth in a cup of milk, saltwater, or in its empty socket to keep it moist until you can make it into our office.

Feel free to take an over-the-counter pain medication to reduce discomfort in the meantime.

Save Our Number Today!

These are just a few of the things that can go wrong with your smile. Remember if you’re in pain or bleeding, we need to hear from you! Oyler Family Dentistry is here for you in an emergency — so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for rapid attention. Save our number so we’ll only be a few taps away when you need us most. Reach us at  (812) 221-1014.