Our main goal at Mount Pearl Dental is to get you out of pain. If you have a dental emergency like a lost a tooth, tooth ache, or lost filling, our dentists will see you promptly. Same-day services get you out of pain quickly.
In terms of dental emergencies, we've seen it all! Here are some common dental emergencies and how you can handle them.
Toothache
At Mount Pearl Dental, we hate to hear that our patients are in pain. The first step is to give us a call. To ease your pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain remedy that can make you more comfortable. You can also try holding an ice pack against your face where you are experiencing pain.
Chipped or broken tooth
Broken or chipped teeth can almost always be saved.
If it's a small break, your dentist can use a white filling to fix the tooth. If the break is serious, a root canal may be needed.
Your tooth may also need a crown.
There are lots of dental procedures that can help you restore your teeth to their natural look and function.
Knocked out tooth
If you lose a permanent or adult tooth, you need to call us right away. If the tooth is put back in place within 10 minutes, it has a fair chance of taking root again. After 2 hours, the chances are poor so make sure you call us right away!
If the tooth looks clean, put it back in its place (its socket). If this is not possible, try putting the tooth in a container of cold milk.
Once a tooth is lost, the nerves and blood vessels cannot be repaired. However, the bone can reattach to the root of the tooth once it's put back into place.
Badly bitten lip or tongue
If there is bleeding, press down on the part of the mouth that is bleeding.
Use a clean cloth to do this.
If the lip is swollen, use an ice pack to keep the swelling down.
If the bleeding does not stop, go to Emergency at a hospital right away.
Something stuck between teeth
Common things that can be lodged between teeth include, popcorn kernels, pieces of meat and corn. First, try using dental floss, very gently and carefully, to remove the object. Never poke between your teeth with anything sharp that can damage your gums or scratch the tooth surface. If you can't remove the object, we will be able to remove it for you.
Lost filling
Put a piece of softened sugarless chewing gum in the spot where the filling was lost.
This will protect the area for a short period of time.
See a dentist as soon as possible.