The holiday season is almost here, and what happens if a tooth is damaged or begins to hurt during this time of year? We have a few tips for protecting your smile and some suggestions for what to do next! In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about emergency dental care during the holidays.
Protecting Your Smile
You can take some steps to help protect your smile! If you plan on hitting the court or the field with your family, make sure you wear a mouthguard to help prevent chipped, cracked or knocked-out teeth. You should also be careful about chewing on ice or items that are particularly hard, as this could risk a minor chip or even a dental fracture. Try to cut back on the sugar and starch in your meals too, as this could feed bacteria and increase the risk of tooth decay, which weakens outer enamel and leads to painful symptoms like toothaches and sensitivity when you eat or drink.
What to Do
What happens if you injure a tooth or one begins to hurt? If a tooth is chipped or broken, then rinse with warm water and stem the bleeding with a bit of cloth. If you can recover the lost pieces of the tooth, do so and ring them to the dentist with you. A cold compress against the side of your face can help prevent swelling.
If a tooth hurts suddenly, floss on either side of it and rinse with warm water, as this could dislodge trapped objects between the teeth. If this fails to address the discomfort, then you need to see us.
If a tooth has been knocked out, only pick it up by the crown portion, not the root, and put it into a sealed container of milk or salt water and bring it with you to the office.
Help from Our Team
Give our team a call! If you reach us during our usual business hours, we will try to see you same-day. If you are injured during the holidays and we are not at the office, then call anyway and leave a message. A team member will reach out quickly and discuss possible treatment times and what you can do to ease your discomfort until we can see you. If you have any questions about emergency dental care during the holiday season, then reach out to our office right away to learn more!
Learn More About Helping Smiles with Emergency Dentistry
We would love to help address your dental emergency and safeguard your smile from complications during the holidays. To schedule an appointment and safeguard your smile, then just contact Robert M. Browne DDS in Prairie Village, KS by calling (913) 901-8585.