Dental Emergency? What to Do After Chipping or Losing a Tooth

Staying on top of dental care is an essential part of being a responsible adult. Everyone should go to the dentist at least two or three times a year to make sure their teeth are strong, their gums are healthy, and they can keep giving a big, happy smile. In addition to general care, however, it’s even more important to know what to do during a dental emergency like chipping or losing a tooth.

Far too many Americans ignore severe dental issues and allow their problems to get so bad, there is often no tooth left to even attempt to save. Rather than neglecting your teeth and spending thousands of dollars in major dental costs in the future, focus on emergency dental care as soon as anything goes wrong with any of your teeth. Even a minor toothache can grow into a serious dental issue.

Here are a few common dental emergences that you should be aware of. If any of these issues happen to you, get professional help right away in order to preserve your teeth and dental hygiene as much as possible.

Chipped Tooth

Having a chipped tooth might not seem like a dental emergency, especially if it’s a relatively small break. But if you aren’t careful, a simple broken tooth can lead to severe pain in your mouth. Additionally, the more you chew with a chipped tooth, the more damage you’ll cause. You will need to visit a skilled dentist who can smooth out the chip or add some composite filling material to repair the tooth.

Knocked-Out Tooth

If you are losing a tooth in an unnatural way, you should immediately visit your dentist. As long as you retrieve the tooth by its crown (top) and gently rinse it off, you will have a good chance of preserving that tooth as long as you get it to your dentist in time. As soon as the tooth is knocked out, call your dentist and keep the tooth in a clean and small container until you have your appointment. Your dentist can provide you with a dental implant, too, which is becoming increasingly popular in the country as 3 million people currently have implants and that number is growing by 500,000 a year.

If you are in severe pain due to an issue with your teeth, you need to call your dentist right away. As long as you’re careful with your teeth at all times and know what to do during a dental emergency, your teeth should be healthy and strong for a long time. Contact StateLine Dental if you need emergency dental care right away.