Tag: dental injury

DEntal emergency farmers branch dfw texas

Emergency Treatment for Dental Injuries

Posted on | by mel | Leave a Comment on Emergency Treatment for Dental Injuries

Dental Injuries Require Fast Care

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Dental injuries can happen at any time and knowing what to do at that moment can help save teeth. In many cases, it is important to get emergency treatment as soon as possible. Acting quickly may help save a smile and reduce repair costs. 

Not every dental problem that is encountered is a dental emergency. Many of them can be treated at a regular dental appointment. Some dental injuries that are emergencies include: 

 

A Knocked Out Tooth

When a tooth is completely knocked out (avulsed), you want to pick it up immediately by the crown and rinse it off if it is dirty. Gently try and put it back in the socket, if possible. If not, hold it between your gums and cheek, or in milk, saliva, or in water with a little salt in it to keep it moist. Do not use regular tap water. 

If possible, make a trip to a dentist within 30 minutes. The timing is very important because when a tooth knocked out is out of its socket for more than an hour it may not be able to be saved. The dentist will also need to determine if nearby teeth have been damaged or loosened. 

When it is a child’s baby tooth that is knocked out, do not try and put it back in the socket. The dentist will usually not try to do this because it may interfere with the permanent teeth underneath. 

 

A Cracked Tooth

A tooth that is cracked should be looked at by a dentist. Rinse your mouth out with warm water to remove bacteria and food particles. Although it is not always a dental emergency, you should have a dental fracture looked at by a dentist to prevent infection, depending on the size of the crack, which could lead to an abscessed tooth. If the pulp is exposed, you may need a root canal. You may also experience pain when you eat hot or cold food or drinks. 

 

Dislodged Tooth

When a tooth has not been completely knocked out, but has been pushed deeper into the socket or is partially out of it, you will likely need root canal treatment. When you see the dentist, the dislodged tooth will be stabilized first and the root canal may be conducted a few days later. 

 

A Broken Jaw

If you experience what could be a broken jaw (or definitely is), you need to seek emergency dental care right away. Your jaw may need to be moved back into the correct position, or oral surgery may be necessary. Breathing may be difficult and your jaw will need to be stabilized if it is a serious break. It is also possible that your mouth may need to be wired shut – in extreme cases in order to heal correctly. Use an ice pack on your face to reduce swelling. 

 

Broken or Chipped Tooth

If at all possible, find the pieces of the tooth to take to the dentist. Rinse it with warm water. Place a cold compress on your face to reduce swelling. If there is any bleeding, place gauze or cotton on the broken tooth.  

 

An Abscessed Tooth

An infection that appears in your gums with a lot of pain could be an abscessed tooth. The infection may be in the tooth and it is necessary that you receive urgent dental care for it. The infection will only get worse but it will also spread until it becomes a life-threatening situation. An emergency dentist will remove the inflammation and perform a root canal on the tooth to remove the infection in the tooth. It is possible that an extraction may be needed. 

 

Toothache

A toothache can occur in any tooth, including wisdom teeth. Generally, a cavity will occur first that has no other symptoms, but as it grows deeper you will experience pain. If not treated, it may become an abscessed tooth. The pain will not go away until the decayed tooth material is removed and a filling put in its place. 

 

Preventing Dental Emergencies

A walk in dentist can provide emergency dental treatment for many dental injuries, but by following some basic guidelines, you may be able to avoid most dental problems. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing will enable your teeth to stay healthy longer. Using fluoride toothpaste will help them resist cavities, and an antibacterial mouthwash will reduce the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. Wearing a teeth guard during sports will help to protect your teeth. Seeing a dentist regularly will help keep dental problems at a minimum – as well as the costs for dental treatment. 

 

When you need emergency treatment for a dental injury, you can visit a walk in dentist and get the dental care you need. If in Farmers branch , just visit Champion Dental Clinic, 2936 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75234.

 

 

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What Can Your Dentist Do To Prevent Sports Injury to Your Teeth?

Posted on | by mel | 3 Comments on What Can Your Dentist Do To Prevent Sports Injury to Your Teeth?

How to Stop the Damage to Teeth in Sports

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Playing sports and getting a tooth injury is rather common. Sports can get rough, and accidents can happen that can cause injuries to the mouth, jaw, and teeth. Sports injuries can occur to people of any age, which is why seeing your dentist to help get protection for you or your child’s teeth is important to their future smile. 

 

Frequency of Dental Injuries

Wearing protection while playing sports has saved many young people from potentially serious injuries to the face and mouth. Prior to the time when face and mouth protection became required, says MedicineNet, as many as 50 percent of all injuries occurred to the face and mouth. Most tooth trauma also occurs to the front upper teeth. 

 

Sports Injury Prevention

Preventing your child from getting a serious injury to the mouth, jaw, or teeth, can be aided by your dentist. A dental mouth guard can be specially prepared by the dentist to fit your young person’s teeth to give them the extra protection needed. 

 

Mouth Guard

A mouth guard is probably the most important piece of equipment your child needs to protect his or her teeth. It will reduce the likelihood of damage to the teeth, which can be very costly to repair or replace if one is knocked out. 

Mouth guards made by a dentist are custom-fitting, which provides a better fit and makes them more comfortable to wear. The perfect fit also ensures that they will stay in place and not slip off when needed most. 

 

Mouth Guards for Braces

Orthodontics is designed to help your child’s teeth look beautiful. Sports injuries can damage braces, which can then poke into the gums or inner mouth or tongue. Naturally, you want to protect those teeth that you have already invested in. A special custom made orthodontic mouthguard can help protect the braces and teeth from sports accidents. 

 

Mouth Guards and Insurance

Some insurance plans that teams or leagues have will only provide payment when a custom-made sports mouth guard is made by a dentist. It is also possible that teeth guards may need to be worn on the top and bottom teeth, depending on the sport. In wrestling, for instance, a wrestling mouthguard is required.  

 

Why Custom Mouth Guards Are Better

Standardized mouth guards can be purchased at the store. Another type, boil-and-bite, can also be purchased which are apt to fit a little better – but not perfectly. Both of these options are certainly the less expensive way to go. 

A custom-made mouth guard, even though more expensive, will provide better protection for the teeth. Being that they fit better, they will also be more comfortable. 

 

Get Healthy Teeth

Tooth trauma is less likely to occur if your teeth and gums are in good health. When they are not, it will be much easier to knock a loose tooth out than it would be a healthy one. A broken tooth may also occur more easily if the enamel on the teeth has been weakened by eating or drinking a lot of acidic foods, including soda in particular. Using smokeless tobacco, or illegal drugs, will also enable a more serious dental injury to take place that might otherwise be avoided.

 

When Teeth Get Injured

When there is a tooth knocked out – either out of place or completely out of the mouth, it is very important to see a dentist as soon as possible. If at all possible, you should see a dentist within 30-minutes. Do not try to re-implant the tooth. 

When picking up the tooth that has been knocked out, be sure not to pick it up by the root. Instead, pick it up by the crown, and rinse off any dirt that may be on it, but do not scrub it off. If possible, placing the tooth in cold milk is best – even if you cannot get to a dentist within a day. Saline water or plain water is good, too. 

A chipped tooth may also be repaired if you get to a dentist rather quickly. In some cases, it can be cemented in place, or a bonding compound can repair it. A cracked tooth or fractured tooth needs to be looked at to determine whether or not it can be repaired. Sometimes a new crown may need to be added, which most likely also means a root canal. 

If there is injury to the jaw, or a knocked out tooth, a dentist will also take a quick look at your neighboring teeth to determine if they have been damaged. 

 

Advantages of Dental Mouth Guards

When your child or teen is involved in sports, there is an increased danger to the teeth. Injuries will happen, but a kids mouth guard or a youth football mouth guard will certainly help to reduce any sudden force applied to their jaw. Even better, though, is that it will help them retain their teeth and great smile, and it will save you a lot of money if teeth are lost without it. 

If you live in and around Farmers Branch, Texas, you can obtain a custom-fitted dental mouth guard for your child from Champion Dental Clinic. For more information about sports mouth guards, or to set up an appointment, call our office today at (214) 747-0763.