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Preparation Tips for Emergency Dental Care

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Some oral issues cannot wait for a dentist's appointment. For instance, if you have unbearable pain, a knocked-out tooth or a pimple-like swelling, you need to immediately see an emergency dentist. That said, proper preparation is vital before arriving at an emergency dental clinic, especially if it far from your home. This article highlights preparation tips for emergency dental care. Keep reading for more insight.

Describe the Extent of Bleeding

When you contact an emergency dental clinic, the first question they will ask is about the extent of bleeding. Dental injuries vary in severity since some bleed excessively, while others do not. You need to provide the information to an emergency dentist for adequate preparation so they know what to expect. If you are bleeding profusely, an emergency dentist needs to take prerequisite steps to control the bleeding once you get to the clinic. If the bleeding is slow, a dentist might advise you to apply gauze over the injury and exert pressure to prevent excessive blood loss and further complications.

Rinse off Fractured Teeth

A fractured or broken tooth requires immediate emergency dental care. When left unattended, a fractured tooth can grow to the pulp chamber, exposing the nerves to irritants in the mouth such as bacteria. Therefore, if you have chipped, fractured or broken teeth, the first thing you should do is rinse your mouth with warm salty water. Rinsing your mouth achieves several things, the most essential being the removal of any remaining fragments. It prevents broken tooth pieces from lodging into the soft tissue when applying gauze to the bleeding area. The warm salty water also disinfects the exposed pulp, preventing infections. 

Handle Knocked Out Teeth Carefully

The last thing you want to do with a knocked-out tooth is scrub it. Some patients touch the soft tissue in the gap to check for teeth remnants on their way to an emergency clinic. However, doing such things is counterproductive since they reduce a dentist's chances of re-implanting a knocked-out tooth. Before you begin an emergency dental clinic trip, you need to take good care of your knocked-out teeth and the soft tissues. Simply rinse the tooth with salt water or milk, and do not touch the gap in your mouth. It gives an emergency dentist a good chance of replanting your knocked-out teeth. 

For more information about emergency dental care or how to care for your oral health, contact a local dental office. 


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