AT COMFORT DENTAL, WE CARE ABOUT EVERY aspect of your oral health – one unfortunate reality is no matter how careful we are sometimes life hands us emergencies!
Dr. Brucken and Dr. Stubbs would like to touch on dental emergencies for a minute…
LET’S START WITH A RECENT EMERGENCY EXAMPLE…
Hopefully, when you have a dental emergency you won’t be working in a remote location in Alaska and break-off your front tooth with a wrench – have infection, swelling, and pain.
This unfortunate situation occurred to one of Dr. Brucken’s established patients recently. This patient was able to contact our office via our answering service and reach Dr. Brucken over the weekend.
Not only did we get a prescription for the infection called into the nearest pharmacy in Alaska – hours away from the remote job location – we also immediately made an appointment for this patient, who will come directly to our office from the airport as he arrives back in Indiana.
A DENTAL EMERGENCY IS NO MINOR THING
Depending on the situation, if you are having a severe emergency, please go to the nearest urgent care or emergency facility for assistance.
With that said, we want to make sure our established patients with current dental histories in our office know that they can reach our dentists even when the office is closed, just like our patient in remote Alaska did.
Remember, a dental injury to your teeth or gums should not be ignored as it can be potentially serious—with risks of more permanent damage, OR more extensive (and expensive) repair down the road.
HERE ARE SOME OF COMFORT DENTAL’S THOUGHTS ABOUT COMMON DENTAL EMERGENCIES:
- Toothache? Rinse with warm water and be sure nothing is lodged. Apply an ice pack if needed to reduce the swelling, and call us as soon as possible. We probably need to take a look.
- Chipped & Broken Tooth? Although it may seem sort of odd, save the pieces of the tooth if you can. Apply gauze pressure if you’re bleeding. See us as soon as you can.
- A Knocked Out Tooth? “Time is of the essence” in trying to save a tooth. (watch the video below)
- A Dislodged Tooth? Apply a cold compress to help if there’s pain. Take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed. Call Comfort Dental and get in here to see us right away.
- Something Caught Between Your Teeth? Gently try dental floss first, and never use a sharp object. If you can’t dislodge it, call us right away.
- Lose a Filling? Believe it or not, as a temporary measure until you can get in here to see us, you can stick a piece of sugarless chewing gum into the hole. Then, call us!
- Lost a Crown? Come in as soon as possible and be sure to bring the crown. In the meantime, slip the crown back in if you can, or use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area.
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Hey, be careful out there! And wear a mouthguard to help prevent an injury! Comfort Dental wants to help you keep ALL of your teeth—FOR LIFE!
We look forward to your next visit to our office (but hopefully NOT an emergency!).
