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Q: What do I do if I have a dental emergency?
A: The time to prepare for a dental emergency is now, before it happens. In any of the following instances, call your dentist as soon as possible. If you or your child knocks out a tooth, retrieve the tooth and hold it by the crown, not the root. If it's dirty, rinse it off, but don't scrub off any tissue fragments that may be on it. If possible, put the tooth back in its socket in the jaw. If not, put it in a container with milk or cool water.
For a toothache, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Floss the problem area to make sure a piece of food is not lodged against the tooth. Do not put aspirin against the tooth or gum. Dissolving aspirin can actually burn the tissue.
If you break a tooth, again, rinse the area with warm water to keep it clean. Use cold compresses in this situation, and in any other instance of trauma, to keep swelling down. And you should keep your dentist's phone number in a visible spot, along with other emergency numbers. The next time you visit your dentist, ask him about materials-like gauze, beeswax, topical anesthetics-that are good to have at home in a dental emergency kit.
January 18, 2010
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