Do You Have A Dental Emergency?
Experiencing discomfort in your teeth can be annoying, but many people choose not to go to the dentist, despite the pain. They let the pain grow until it becomes a dental emergency. So how do you know it’s time to go to the dentist? What exactly do you do in the event of a dental emergency?
How to Identify Dental Emergency
If you’re dealing with any dental issue that requires treatment from a dentist immediately to alleviate pain, then this is considered a dental emergency. You could be experiencing:
- You may have lost a tooth. If you’re about to lose a tooth, it can sometimes be saved through emergency treatment.
- Suppose you’re in a lot of pain. Anytime you experience intense pain from your teeth or gums, it’s time to visit the dentist.
- If you have an infection, if your face is swollen, or if your gums have swollen, these can both indicate that you have an infection.
- If your teeth are loose, even if there’s no pain, loose teeth can still require emergency dental treatment.
- Suppose there’s blood in your mouth. Anytime this happens, it’s time to visit the dentist.
Dental First Aid Tips
When you spot a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is book a dental appointment. Until you visit your dentist, here are some emergency dental tips to help relieve pain and care for your teeth.
In A Pinch, At Home Tips
- Rinse your mouth using a saltwater solution. Simply mix salt into lukewarm water to make the solution.
- Rinse your mouth using a hydrogen peroxide rinse.
- Apply an ice pack to the part of your face that looks swollen or the part that’s causing you pain.
- Aloe Vera can help you during a dental emergency as well. Apply the aloe vera gel to the surface of your face, the part where the pain is coming from. This can help soothe pain in the area as well.
Have A Dental Emergency Kit
Whether you find yourself dealing with a toothache, a loose crown, a cracked tooth, or other mouth injuries, being prepared can save you from a lot of pain. So what should you add to your dental emergency kit?
- Tweezers: To help you reach areas that are otherwise hard to access.
- Gauze: Should a tooth be loose or even knocked out, apply gauze to where the tooth should be.
- Topical painkiller: Oral analgesics can help you deal with pain.
- Tylenol/Ibuprofen: Helps in reducing pain.
- Cotton Balls: Can be used while applying medication to your mouth or even to clean areas before applying the medicine.
- Disposable Gloves: To ensure you maintain good sanitary standards.
- Floss: Should something get stuck between the teeth, you’ll need to floss to get them out.
- Temporary cavity Fillings: You may need these if you have fillings that might fall out.
Dental First Aid Tips
So what do you do in the event of specific dental issues? Until you visit your dentist, you can use these dental tips to care for your teeth.
- Pain and Sensitivity: Tylenol can be enough to get you through if you have minimal discomfort. You can also apply a wrapped ice pack to the area. You’ll need to get a dental appointment to have the pain checked out. If the pain gets more intense, then visit the dentist immediately.
- Knocked Out Tooth: Avoid touching the tooth’s roots if this happens. Refrain from trying to place the tooth back into your mouth. You can also set the tooth in a glass full of milk until you see the dentist. You’ll need to call your dentist immediately, as the tooth should be positioned back into your mouth within thirty minutes.
- Broken Tooth: Broken teeth aren’t life-threatening in any way. But they can be annoying and make chewing difficult. Depending on how much of the tooth was chipped, you may want to leave it alone. But if a lot of the tooth has been chipped, then schedule an appointment with your dentist. If you’re in pain, then it is a dental emergency.
- Lodged Object: If something gets lodged between your teeth, you’ll need to floss your teeth. Do it carefully. If you feel any pain or can’t get the lodged object out even after flossing, then it’s time to visit the dentist.
- Swelling: When your mouth swells, this could indicate that there’s an infection of some kind. It’s also unlikely that the swelling will go away without treatment. You can apply a wrapped ice pack to the area, but you’ll need to visit the dentist as soon as possible.
- Bleeding: Have you noticed blood in your dental floss? This is an early sign of gingivitis and other kinds of gum diseases. It’s not an emergency, but you should still see a dentist at your earliest convenience. If you find blood in your saliva, then gum disease could be at an advanced stage. It could also indicate cancer in its later stages. Even if you’ve just had your tooth extracted, bleeding from the mouth isn’t normal. So seek help from a dentist.
The Do’s and Don’ts of a Dental Emergency
Do’s:
Here’s what you should do in the event of a dental emergency:
- Ensure that the dentist you’ve selected offers emergency services.
- Apply pressure to the area that’s bleeding to stop the bleeding.
- If a tooth has been knocked out, then keep it submerged in milk and in a clean container.
- Ensure that there’s a dental emergency kit at home. Carry it to your car while you’re driving to the dentist.
- If you’re experiencing severe pain or your mouth has swollen up, visit the emergency department of a dentist’s clinic.
Don’ts:
- Don’t eat or drink anything that’s either hot or cold.
- Don’t eat food that’s hard, sticky, or crunchy.
- Don’t be aggressive when you brush or floss your teeth.
- Avoid smoking and tobacco products
- If your tooth was knocked out, don’t place it in a napkin or your pocket.
Most importantly, you should not hesitate to get medical assistance should you experience any of the following:
- Tooth pain
- Fever
- Sudden pain and Sensitivity
- Swelling of the gums or the mouth
- Trouble breathing
- Trouble swelling
- A foul-tasting discharge
If your face experiences swelling or you get a fever suddenly, you’ll need to visit the ER immediately. Should there be any head trauma, you’ll also need to go to the ER. If there’s continuous bleeding from your mouth after an extraction or surgery, then it’s an emergency as well.
There may be times when you experience tooth pain; as a result, it may affect your gums, face, or jaw. During such times, it’s necessary that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. This guide helps you learn about what you can do to provide immediate medical assistance until you see the dentist.
How to care for your teeth on-the-go
Everyone knows oral care is essential, but only some take care of their teeth as well as they should. You probably care for your teeth twice every day – during the morning and night. But should you leave your oral care till you’re at home? Or is it something that you should care for on the go?
Do you want to have quality teeth throughout your life and don’t want to suffer from gum or teeth-related issues? Then you’ll need to care for your mouth throughout the day. Remember to visit your dentist for regular dental cleaning sessions.
Let’s see why.
Can Oral Care Wait Till You Get Home?
Your oral care routine probably consists of brushing your teeth and flossing twice a day. You may also visit the dentist for dental checkups at least twice a year. But that’s not enough to prevent cavities from forming or thwart gum disease. You could be someone who needs to spend the day running errands, or you might have a professional life that keeps you busy. Even if that’s the case, you shouldn’t avoid oral care.
But why is having a sparkling smile so important in the first place? When your oral health is maintained, you’ll always be presentable. You don’t have to worry about bad breath or unclean teeth embarrassing you. Even if you need to attend a meeting last minute at work or find yourself suddenly invited to a party, your oral health won’t worry you.
Caring For Your Teeth On The Go
There are a few simple things that you can do to care for your teeth throughout the day. One of these is drinking a lot of water. When you drink more water, you rinse away any food particles that might be present in your mouth. Sugars, as well as acids from juices, coffee, and even soft drinks, can be removed.
It would be best if you kept some gum that’s sugar-free with you. Did you know chewing gum is actually good for your teeth? Chewing gum activates the production of saliva. Saliva is necessary to neutralize acids and keep your mouth moist. It would also help to brush your teeth after each meal, including lunch. You can bring a special travel toothbrush with you to brush your teeth if you’re away from home.
In addition to this, you can also eat snacks that are considered detergent food. These kinds of food help keep your teeth clean and are great for oral health. Apples, carrots, celery, and cucumbers are the most popular kinds of detergent foods that you can try.
Also, remember that you shouldn’t put things in your mouth, such as pen caps. Only use toothpicks to clean your teeth, or clean them when you’re flossing.
How To Keep Your Breath Fresh On The Go
One way to make your breath fresh is by chewing gum that’s sugar-free. When you chew gum, this helps your mouth produce more saliva. This can allow you to keep your breath fresh. Even healthy snacks like carrots and apples can help you keep your breath clean. Firm vegetables can act as tongue scrubbers and help remove plaque from the teeth. Mints can also help you keep your breath fresh.
It would help if you also kept teeth wipes with you. These are particularly good for emergencies. Tea, like peppermint tea, is particularly good at keeping the breath fresh. If you want to avoid bad breath, then choose tea over alcohol. Chewing on fresh herbs can also help you keep your breath fresh. For lunch, pick something that comes with fresh herbs, such as parsley or mint.
Another way to keep your breath fresh on the go is by using a tongue scraper. Keep a tongue scraper in your travel oral care kit.
When you take care of your oral health, you ensure that you have clean teeth and fresh breath all the time. There are several things that you can do to maintain good oral health. But when you care for your oral health on the go, you ensure that your teeth and gums are better protected in the longer run. This guide details how you can make that happen. Need to schedule a dental cleaning, contact Ashraf Dentistry today!
Bruxism Solutions
Why Do We Experience Teeth Grinding, And What Is Bruxism?
There could be several reasons why people grind their teeth. It’s been seen that people with sleep apnea are likely to grind their teeth in their sleep. Some people who suffer from anxiety or depression can also grind their teeth as a way to soothe themselves. If you’re highly stressed, you may also end up grinding your teeth.
Another factor that could cause someone to grind their teeth is being hyperactive. People who abuse substances, such as alcohol or tobacco, might grind their teeth more often as well. If your smile is misaligned, you may grind your teeth every time you try to smile. Finally, there are also certain parasites that could induce you to grind your teeth more often.
If you find yourself grinding your teeth often, this can cause oral issues later. You could end up chipping or cracking your teeth and more. If this does happen, you’ll need to visit a dentist, and you can also consider Botox therapeutics for a more effective solution. If you need to see a dentist, ask them about Botox therapeutics today.
Symptoms Of Bruxism
These are the symptoms that you’re suffering from bruxism:
- You could end up waking your partner from their sleep by how loudly you grind your teeth at night.
- Your teeth could be fractured, flattened, loose, or even chipped.
- The tooth enamel has become worn, which could expose the deeper layers of the teeth in your mouth.
- If your tooth pain has increased or if your tooth feels sensitive.
- If your jaw muscles are tight or tired, and you can’t open and close your jaw correctly, you may also hear sounds when moving your jaw.
- There’s any soreness in your jaw, face, or neck areas.
- You feel like you have an earache, even though there’s nothing wrong with your ear.
- You have a dull headache that starts at your temples.
- You hurt your mouth while chewing.
- Your sleep is disrupted.
If you experience any of these bruxism symptoms, visit a dentist and experience Botox therapeutics as soon as possible. Without treatment, the pain can get worse, and you can also end up damaging your teeth. In order to tell whether you clench your teeth or not, the dentist will first look at the tooth enamel that’s become worn. They’ll check whether the jaw muscles are enlarged or if you have tooth injuries, such as fractures. They’ll look for flattened teeth, as well as crowns and filings that might be damaged.
Teeth Grinding And Bruxism Solutions
Here’s what you can do to manage bruxism:
- Avoid eating foods that are hard, like nuts, popcorn, as well as hard candies.
- Exercise caution when eating something challenging to chew, such as tough meat.
- Avoid chewing gum.
- Try adjusting the position you sleep in to provide more support to your head and neck.
- If you feel pain, a hot compress or an ice pack can help you deal with the pain.
Here are a few helpful exercises that can help you deal with bruxism. For the first exercise, begin by closing the lips gently. We recommend placing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Your tongue should not touch your teeth. Try to stay in this position for as long as you can.
There’s another exercise that you can do as well. First, place your hands on the TMJ joint, which is where the lower part of the jaw connects to the face. Then, open your mouth and close it slowly. Do this at least thrice a day, for ten minutes each time.
To get help with bruxism, consult a dentist today. Botox therapeutics isn’t cosmetic treatment but a therapeutical approach to dealing with bruxism. Teeth grinding can also be caused by tension within the muscles. Botox Therapeutics can be used to decrease this tension. It can also assist with migraines associated with bruxism.
Alternatively, consider a nightguard, such as those made by us here at Ashraf Dentistry. If you have sleep apnea, a nightguard can help protect your teeth while you’re sleeping. Nightguards help protect your teeth against damage, as well as TMJ disorder. This is the temporomandibular joint disorder, and it affects muscles used in chewing. You’ll be able to prevent chronic headaches as well. You can also save on money you would have needed to invest in restorative dentistry as a result of consistent teeth grinding.
If you think you have bruxism, then visit your dentist as soon as possible. Many solutions are available, and your dentist may offer additional tips and tricks to improve the overall condition. Get a dentist to look at your teeth, and ask them about a Botox Therapeutics treatment. Contact Ashraf Dentistry today if you require bruxism solutions.
