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Any injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should
not be ignored. Ignoring a dental problem can increase the risk
of permanent damage as well as the need for more extensive and expensive
treatment down the road.
Here's
a quick summary of what to do for some common dental problems :
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| First,
thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to
remove any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress
to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any
other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because
it may burn the gum tissue. See your dentist as soon as possible.
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| Save
any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces.
If there's bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about
10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to
the outside of the mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped
tooth to keep any swelling down and relieve pain. See your dentist
as soon as possible. |
| Retrieve
the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed
in the mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty.
Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible,
try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the right
way. Never force it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert
the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk
(or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is
not available) or a product containing cell growth medium, such
as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, see your dentist as quickly as possible.
Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those
seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of
being knocked out. |
Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth
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| See
your dentist right away. Until you reach your dentist's office,
to relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth
or cheek in the affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever
(such as Tylenol or Advil) if needed. |
Objects caught between teeth
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| First,
try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object.
If you can't get the object out, see your dentist. Never use a pin
or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments
can cut your gums or scratch your tooth surface. |
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a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity
(sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use an over-the-counter dental
cement. See your dentist as soon as possible. |
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If the crown falls off, make an appointment to see your dentist
as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. If you can't get
to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton
swab to apply a little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil
can be purchased at your local drug store or in the spice aisle
of your grocery store). If possible, slip the crown back over the
tooth. Before doing so, coat the inner surface with an over-the-counter
dental cement, toothpaste, or denture adhesive, to help hold the
crown in place. Do not use super glue! |
| If
a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking your
cheek, tongue or gum, try using the eraser end of a pencil to push
the wire into a more comfortable position. If you can't reposition
the wire, cover the end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball,
or piece of gauze until you can get to your orthodontist's office.
Never cut the wire, as you could end up swallowing it or breathing
it into your lungs. |
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Temporarily reattach loose braces with a small piece of orthodontic
wax. Alternatively, place the wax over the braces to provide a cushion.
See your orthodontist as soon as possible. If the problem is a loose
band, save it and call your orthodontist for an appointment to have
it recemented or replaced (and to have missing spacers replaced).
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Abscesses
are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the space
between the teeth and gums. Abscesses are a serious condition that
can damage tissue and surrounding teeth, with the infection possibly
spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated.
Because of the serious oral health and general health problems that can result from an abscess, see your dentist as soon as possible if you discover a pimple-like swelling on your gum that usually is painful. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day. |
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