What To Do if You’ve Broken or Lost a Tooth

Accidents occur all the time. Even if you are a very cautious person, you never know when something may happen. Accidents involving teeth are more common than you realize. People can crack or lose teeth in a variety of situations such as a car crash, in a fall, due to a sports injury, or even just biting down on something hard. If teeth are damaged, it is important not to panic and do the following:

If a Tooth is Knocked Out

First, find and gather the tooth or any fragments. Teeth need to be handled carefully in order to be re-implanted. You should only touch the crown of the tooth, not the root and, if necessary, rinse the tooth with water.

Next, reinsert the tooth. First rinse your mouth with warm water and, if the tooth is still intact, reinsert it into the socket and bite down on gauze to make sure it stays in place. If the tooth is unable to be reinserted, store it in whole milk or between your cheek and gums to keep it from getting dry.

It’s also important to treat any symptoms. If your mouth is bleeding, hold gauze or a cloth to the source. For any swelling or pain, apply a cold compress. If the pain lingers, try taking aspirin or another pain reliever.

Finally, see your local dentist. Losing a tooth is a serious matter, and only a dentist will be able to help. Even if you were able to reinsert your tooth, you should still see your dentist to make sure everything is okay.

If a Tooth is Broken or Cracked

A tooth that is badly broken could have exposed nerve endings. To avoid possible infection and to alleviate the pain, you need to see a dentist as quickly as you can. If your tooth is chipped, and if there is a jagged or sharp edge that could cut your lips or tongue, it's important to have it fixed.

If your teeth are damaged in an accident, the best thing you can do is stay calm, follow the tips above, and give your Grand Rapids, MI dentist a call. If you would like more information about emergency dental care, contact Dr. SamuelBander today!

Toothache Problems 101

Your teeth may not seem very memorable on the surface. Sure, we think about them twice a day when we brush, once when we floss, and when we smile for photo ops.  It’s important to remember that our teeth are with us through all of the good times, but, if not shown the care and attention they deserve, they can be the cause of the bad.  If it gets to that point, teeth will ensure that they won’t be forgotten again with an undeniable toothache.

If you want to know how best to handle this painful situation, you need to focus on it.  As uncomfortable as it may be to analyze your pain, it is necessary.  The type of pain and discomfort can tell you what the issue is and how best to treat it.  Here’s what you should note:

• Is it a sharp pain?  Sharp pains generally occur when biting and are instantaneous.  The pain subsides when the bite is released.

• Where is the pain?  Is it isolated to one tooth or are several teeth affected?

• Is it triggered?  Is the pain coming from something hot (like coffee or tea), something cold such as ice cream, or perhaps a sweet candy when it contacts the tooth?

If you experience sharp pain when biting, you should schedule to see your dentist IMMEDIATELY.  That is a warning of a very serious problem.  This could be caused by loose dental work, a cavity, or even a cracked tooth.  Or maybe even a more serious problem - an infected root!

The whole tooth is made up of parts:  The part you see called the crown, the part that lies under the gum line acting as an anchor called the root, and the part with nerves and blood vessels known as the pulp.  When sharp pain occurs when biting it could mean the pulp is infected. In order to correct problems within the pulp area, root canal therapy is often the process of choice in order to prevent tooth extraction.

If the pain is set off by a certain type of food you can pretty easily isolate what that something is and avoid it.  While it may be incredibly hard to remove that cup of coffee from your routine, the pain it will bring is not worth it.  These issues do not require a trip to the Dental ER, but should still be addressed by professionals before they worsen.

  

If the pain is on multiple adjacent at the same time it may be caused by sinus issues. A dentist will be able to diagnose the problem and recommend the best treatment for dental matters concerning sinus problems.

It is important to remember that a toothache that lasts for more than a few days should be addressed with your dental provider. The sooner the problem is corrected, the better. If dental phobia keeps you from scheduling a visit, remind yourself that dental problems don’t go away on their own. Dentists can help you with discomfort and problems associated with phobias.

Let Dr. Bander care for your toothache. Maintain routine visits to help catch problems before they begin to ache. Schedule an appointment today!