Accidents are an everyday occurrence whether it’s a car accident, spilled milk or a hit to the mouth. People can take certain precautions to many of these accidents but they inevitably happen, but the best way to prepared is to have knowledge of what to do in case an accident occurs. In a case of a dental accident, it’s important to know what kind it is and what action to take. We encourage you to learn more about the importance of treating an oral injury with effective care as soon as possible by reading about some of the scenarios below.
Dental Trauma
Anyone can experience an oral accident such as dental trauma, and it’s important to treat the issue as soon as possible to minimize damage and preserve the tooth as much as possible. If you are developing a tooth fracture, have a broken tooth or your tooth has been knocked from its socket, Dr. Michael Shirer and our team here in Aiken, South Carolina, can help you with pain management and provide restorative dentistry such as a dental restoration or tooth replacement.
If you have lost a tooth or part of it, quickly put it back in your socket or an ADA-approved tooth preservation product. If you can do neither of these, you can opt out for milk until you can get to a dentist’s office right away. If it’s cracked, rinse with warm water and use ice packs on the face to deter swelling.
Erupting Wisdom Teeth
While wisdom teeth are not an emergency in general, they can result in complications when erupting. You may have trapped food and bacteria under your gums as the tooth emerges, and this can result in infection. They can grow in at a certain angle, preventing you from brushing or flossing all nooks and crannies of your mouth. If there isn’t enough room for wisdom teeth to come in, this can sometimes cause pain and swelling in your jaw or even damage neighboring teeth.
Contact our office if you notice your wisdom tooth has pain, swelling or redness so that we can perform treatment such as drainage, tooth extraction and prescription pain relievers. We are even open on Fridays to ensure you have the availability of professional help.
Broken Dental Crown or Lost Dental Filling
When a tooth that has received a dental crown or filling becomes damaged again, you may require emergency dental care to keep the tooth protected. The loss or damage of a crown or filling can make the tooth vulnerable to tooth decay and other issues, even damaging the tooth itself. You may even experience extreme sensitivity when this occurs, so it’s important to get it mended right away. Reach out to our office for the next available opening, and we’ll be sure to get you in to get treatment.
Sports Injuries
Many dental injuries occur during physical activity, and the three most common injuries include cracked teeth, fractured roots or a tooth intrusion. A fractured root is when the base of the tooth experiences a blow and often needs root canal therapy. Tooth intrusions occur when impact on the tooth drives it into the jaw instead.
If you experience any type of dental trauma during physical activity, be sure to see us for a consultation. To help prevent this, we recommend a sports mouth guard to help prevent injury to the teeth as well as cuts to the gums, lips and cheeks. Our team in south Aiken can create custom-made mouthguards for you or your child.
We invite you to contact Shirer Family Dentistry at 803-648-6400 today to speak with our dentists and team about treatment options for when you have dental emergencies in Aiken, South Carolina. We are eager to help you sustain a beautiful and healthy smile!