Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS

By Arthur Kezian

As careful as you are, you can’t totally prevent dental emergencies.  All it takes is a misplaced elbow during a pick-up basketball game, a hard peach pit, or a toothache that pops up out of nowhere to send you frantically searching for a dentist.

But by following these 4 dental emergency, you can make things easier when the worst happens:

 

1.   Don’t try to clean a tooth that’s been knocked out

If your tooth comes out during a family softball game, it may be tempting to scrub the dirt off it.  However, your Los Angeles emergency dentist needs to see exactly what was attached to it when it came out — like tissue.  That way, he’ll be able to assess the situation better.

 

2.   Stick your tooth in a cup of milk

Knocked out teeth are one of the most common and urgent emergencies in dentistry.  It’s crucial that you get to a dentist as soon as possible.  In the meantime, though, you’ll need to preserve your tooth as best as you can.

And that’s where the milk comes in:

Emergency-Dentistry-300x225 (1)Los-Angeles-Emergency-Dentist-300x225Milk has an amazing ability to keep the cells on the end of your tooth intact.  In fact, the sugar in milk will help those cells grow.  That way, you’ll have the healthiest tooth possible when your emergency dental office goes to replant it.  If too many cells at the end of your tooth die, your body may reject it altogether!

 

3.  Be careful with toothache relief

An intensely painful toothache is another common part of emergency dentistry.  Even if you get in to see a Los   Angeles emergency dentist right away, the pain can make it feel like you’re waiting forever!

In the meantime, be very careful how you treat that pain.  If you rub painkillers (like gels or aspirin) right onto the affected tooth, you’ll burn the gum tissue around it — and cause even more pain than before you started.

Instead, keep the painkillers to a minimum until your dentist can take a look.

 

4.   Keep track of your tooth pain

Lots of toothaches are actually the result of tiny cracks.  They’re so tiny that they’re only visible on an x-ray.

Until you can get in to see your emergency dental office, keep a journal of when your tooth hurts or what makes it feel worse.  For example, you may have a sudden sensitivity to hot or cold foods, or you may only experience the pain at certain times.

When it comes to emergency situations, the more answers you have for your dentist, the sooner he can make you feel better!

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777