It’s best to get emergency dentistry within 30 minutes — up to two hours maximum — of its occurrence. Taking the following steps can improve your outcome:

• Loose teeth
• Swelling in your mouth or face (abscess due to dental infection)
• Bulges, swelling, or knots on your gums

It’s best to get emergency dentistry within 30 minutes (up to two hours maximum) of its occurrence. While you’re waiting, take the following steps to improve your outcome:

Knocked-Out Tooth

To increase your chances of saving your tooth, KRB Dentistry recommends the following steps after your tooth has been knocked out:

• Don’t touch the root of the tooth
• Gently rinse your tooth, taking care not to remove any tissue attached to it
• Carefully try to put your tooth back into its socket and gently bite down to try and hold it in place
• If you can’t get your tooth back where it belongs, put it in a small container or cup with milk or some saliva

Loose Tooth

If your tooth is injured or hit and becomes loose and misaligned, gently try to put it back in its original position and then bite down to keep the tooth from moving until you reach KRB

Chipped, Cracked, or Fractured Teeth

Chipped teeth without pain aren’t usually considered dental emergencies. However, it’s critical to have the affected teeth evaluated and possibly smoothed or adjusted to prevent further chipping or fracture while chewing.

If your tooth is cracked or fractured, the tooth will not be able to withstand any pressure or chewing. Emergency dentistry is required due to the intense pain that results from the crack inside the tooth, which transmits pressure to the nerve of the tooth and perceived as pain. Before you come in to see a dentist at KRB dentistry, be sure to:

• Gently rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water
• Apply a cold compress to minimize swelling
• Take acetaminophen to alleviate pain

Tissue Injury and Facial Pain

If you experience a puncture wound, laceration, or tear to your lips, cheeks, mouth, or tongue, you should clean the area immediately with warm water and apply pressure on the wound using gauze to control any bleeding. You can apply Vaseline to the cut to limit the bleeding.

Take acetaminophen to alleviate any facial pain associated with your tissue injury. Never take another pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen during a dental emergency because they’re anticoagulants and taking them can lead to excessive bleeding. Ibuprofen is recommended for swelling or inflammation.

If you or a loved one needs emergency dentistry, the best thing to do is be prepared and not panic. Try to keep a small dental first aid kit with you that includes the following:

• A small container with a lid (for your tooth)
• Acetaminophen
• Gauze
• Handkerchief

The dentists at KRB Dentistry can fabricate a mouth guard to protect your child’s teeth to prevent common injuries during sports.

If you’ve had an accident and are in need of emergency dentistry, call or make an appointment online at KRB Dentistry in Rosenberg, Texas, as quickly as possible to avoid complications.