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Emergency Dental Care Tips For Surviving Health Crisis Off The Grid
When you're suddenly faced with an emergency dental care situation, what should you do? When there are no dentists available or you can't easily go to a dental clinic, you could still get by on your own as long as you know how to handle the situation.
How To Handle Emergency Dental Care On Your Own
Normally, with dental emergencies, you will need to be attended by your dentist. However, if you can't see a dentist immediately, you must mitigate the problem temporarily until you're able to visit a professional to check on your dental crisis. Dental emergencies such as injury to the gums or teeth should not be disregarded, as it can get serious if not treated immediately. Additionally, you might also face a more costly treatment if the situation gets severe. Know what emergency dental care you can do on your own, so scroll on!
Common Dental Emergencies
1. Cracked, Chipped, or Broken Tooth
Your teeth can crack, chip, or break due to several reasons, such as a weakened tooth caused by cavities, a hit to your mouth or face, or biting hard objects. If a tooth is fractured in a minor way, normally it wouldn't cause pain. However, it could be painful if there's a large piece of tooth that broke off.
Emergency dental care:
First, rinse your mouth using warm water. If there's bleeding, you can apply pressure using a piece of gauze or a tea bag on the affected area to stop bleeding. If there's swelling, use a cold compress and apply it to the outside of your lips or cheek, near the area of your fractured tooth. This will also help reduce pain.
2. Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is referred to as an “avulsed” tooth by dentists. While this dental emergency is considered as one of the serious conditions, it can be fixed. And if you act immediately, you can still save the knocked-out tooth.
Emergency dental care:
Pick up the knocked-out tooth by the crown — the part you use for biting. Avoid touching the root as it could cause damages to the tissue, which helps in tooth reimplantation. For an adult tooth, you can try putting the tooth back in its socket. Before doing so, visualize first how the tooth should be placed back in to make sure it won't get re-inserted the wrong way. Go to the dentist as soon as you can.
3. Lost Filling
A filling is used to fill the cavities in your pearly whites. When a filling gets lost or falls out, it may be due to a decay underneath it, which could destroy parts of your tooth. When this happens, the tooth will no longer be tight enough to hold the filling. Losing a dental filling can be painful since the tissue exposed is usually sensitive to pressure, temperature, or air.
Emergency dental care:
Temporarily, you can use dental cement to replace the lost filling. This can be bought over-the-counter at a pharmacy near you. If there's no dental cement available, you can use sugarless gum as a substitute. Sealing the area will protect your tooth from possible further damage until you can see the dentist.
4. Abscess
An abscess is an infection occurring either around a tooth's root or in your gums. This is a serious dental condition, causing damage to the tissue and surrounding teeth. Additionally, the infection could also spread to other parts of your body if not treated immediately. Since this is a serious case, it is recommended to see the dentist as soon as you have the opportunity.
Emergency dental care:
When you can't see the dentist yet, you can rinse your mouth with a salt-water solution. Mix a half teaspoon of table salt to 8 ounces of water and rinse your mouth a few times a day. This will help draw the pus to the surface and will also relieve the pain.
5. Soft-tissue Injuries
Soft tissues in the mouth include your gums, cheeks, tongue, and lips. These tissues are delicate and can cause pain once injured. There are several ways the soft tissues can get injured, including accidentally biting them, eating food that's too hot, chewing or biting on hard objects, or if you get in an accident.
Emergency dental care:
Rinse your mouth a few times a day with a salt-water solution. If there's bleeding, get a piece of gauze or a tea bag and apply pressure to the bleeding area. You can also apply a cold compress to relieve the pain. Continue to put pressure until the bleeding stops.
What edge does tongue-scraping have over your toothbrush? Find out here #MondayTrivia pic.twitter.com/LEpiXwPk4n
— Homesteading (@HomesteadingUSA) August 7, 2017
Avoiding Dental Emergency
1. Wear Mouth Guard
If you engage a lot in sports activities such as basketball or boxing, protect your pearly whites by wearing a mouth guard. This will help in preventing a broken or knocked-out tooth from happening.
2. Avoid Chewing On Hard Objects
While your teeth are incredibly tough, it can still get damaged. Be extra cautious of what you bite or chew on to lessen the risk of cracked, chipped, or broken teeth. Common hard objects people tend to chew on are pens, pencils, toys, plastic bits, and ice. If you have the habit of chewing and feel the need to chew, try some nuts or a piece of gum instead.
3. See Your Dentist
On average, it's recommended to see your dentist at least twice a year. But, if you're someone who's a high risk of dental problems, it would be good to visit your dentist every three months. High-risk people include pregnant women, smokers, diabetics, and people with weak immune systems, especially those prone to bacterial infections.
Additionally, if you're planning to have a vacation and travel far — during which you can't immediately see your dentist for emergency situations, it is advisable to schedule an appointment to your dentist for a routine check-up. It's best to catch any possible dental problem as soon as possible before it becomes a dental emergency later, while you're on vacation.
Preparing For A Dental Emergency
You'll never know when a dental emergency would happen so it's best to always prepare for these kinds of situations. Stay calm and avoid panicking. Also, it would be wise to keep a dental first aid kit containing pain relievers, ice packs, dental picks, cotton balls, gauze pad, handkerchief, and the contact details of your dentist.
Know what to include in your emergency dental care kit in this video:
It's best to know what emergency dental care you can do to mitigate any dental crisis immediately. Always remember to go to your dentist appointments because he knows what's best for you and your mouth. Lastly, always opt for healthier and stronger teeth and gums, so don't just brush your teeth, floss after meals and use mouthwash too!
Are there any other emergency dental care tips you know? Share them in the comments section below!
Up Next: 147 Natural Remedies For Homesteading To Make Life Easier
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