There are good surprises, like a birthday present you weren’t expecting. And there are not-so-good surprises, like biting down and suddenly feeling everything is not quite right. Dental emergencies are situations where  you need to see a dentist within a few hours or the same day as a problem arises. Our office is experienced in dealing with dental emergencies. We offer these one-two-three suggestions to keep in mind when you are thinking about dental emergencies.

One: Before An Emergency

Most of the time, a dental emergency seem to come out of nowhere, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared. For example, take a few minutes to program our office number into your phone. If you are more likely to look somewhere else for the number, stick it up on your refregerator, or note it down near your home phone. The point is to save precious minutes hunting down a phone number, or trying to look it up if you are away from home. When you need care at a moment’s notice, saving even a few minutes can help.

Two: During a Dental Emergency

Take a deep breath and do your best to remain calm. If a tooth has been broken, gather the pieces. If a tooth is knocked loose, help it remain in place. If a tooth is knocked completely out, rinse it gently with water and try to place it back in the socket. Immediately call our office, or have someone else call for you. We can offer immediate suggestions for your comfort, and make arrangements to see you as soon as is necessary.

Three: After the Emergency

Be sure to follow any post-emergency instructions given by your dentist or a doctor or hospital. You can also use post-emergency time to think over what happened and how to avoid a recurrence. Should you take steps to get yourself or your child a mouth guard to wear during sports? Do you need to address bruxism (teeth grinding) to stop it from continuing to weaken your teeth? Sometimes accidents happen, and other times, an emergency can alert you to situations that may happen again.