Dental Emergency

Accidents happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

Here are some tips for common dental emergencies: 

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it in between your cheek and gums, in milk, or use a tooth preservation product that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Then, get to your dentist’s office right away. 
• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. Put cold compresses on the face to keep any swelling down. 
• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress. 
• For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between the teeth. Do not put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues. 
• For objects stuck in the mouth, try to gently remove with floss but do not try to remove it with sharp or pointed instruments. 

When you have a dental emergency, it’s important to visit your dentist or an emergency room as soon as possible.

Here are some simple precautions you can take to avoid accident and injury to the teeth:   

• Wear a mouthguard when participating in sports or recreational activities. 
• Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth. 
• Use scissors, NEVER your teeth, to cut things. 

Most dentists reserve time in their daily schedules for emergency patients. Call your dentist and provide as much detail as possible about your condition.

The above article is from mouthhealthy.org

Siranli Dental  
Samantha Siranli, DMD, PhD, FACP
2112 F St. NW, Suite 605
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 466-4530
SiranliDental.com

Emergency Dental Care

Same-Day Emergencies

Are you suffering from pain in your teeth or gums? Have you cracked or knocked out a tooth? You don’t have to suffer! Call us right away, and we can instruct you on how to handle it, and then find a place in our schedule for treatment the same day. It’s important that you get a fast diagnosis and immediate treatment so we can hopefully save a tooth or even your healthy smile long-term. Our caring, compassionate, and very gentle team is here to support you.

Common dental emergencies include:

• Mouth sores
• Tooth pain
• Gum pain
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Pain with hot or cold
• Cracked tooth
• Fractured tooth

Here are some things you can do before you come in to see us:

1. If you think your jaw is fractured or that you could be suffering a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
2. Take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (like Advil) for pain. Ice can be applied for 10-20 minutes out of an hour.
3. Orajel, campho-phenique, and similar over-the-counter medications can ease a mouth sore by laying a protective film over the area.
4. A bitten lip or tongue or similar soft tissue injury can also be eased by application of ice or pressure.
5. Have you had an extraction and are bleeding? Folded gauze needs to be applied with pressure to the site. Another option is to soak a tea bag, wrap it in a thin layer of gauze, and apply with pressure for an hour.
6. For a chipped tooth, soft wax can be placed over the broken area. If you have the chip, place it in a cup of milk or in water with a pinch of salt.
7. Knocked out adult permanent teeth should be put back in place and held while you’re on your way to see us. If you can’t do that, put it in a cup of milk or water. You’ll need to be seen immediately.

Siranli Dental  
Samantha Siranli, DMD, PhD, FACP
2112 F St. NW, Suite 605
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 466-4530
SiranliDental.com

Emergency Dentistry

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about Emergency Dentistry!

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Siranli Dental  
Samantha Siranli, DMD, PhD, FACP  
2112 F St. NW, Suite 605  
Washington, DC 20037  
(202) 466-4530  
SiranliDental.com