What To Do During a Dental Emergency

If you or a loved one had a dental emergency, would you know what to do? A cool head and some basic first aid knowledge help dental emergencytremendously. So does having the phone number of your emergency dentist handy. At Norfolk Family & Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Shabtai Sapir and Dr. Minda Sapir have your best oral health in mind. So, when the unexpected strikes, call their office for kind and accurate advice and a same-day appointment when required. Read here about what you can do to prepare yourself before seeing your dentist.

What is a dental emergency?

5 million teeth are knocked out annually in the United States--many due to sports. Additional causes are falls, motor vehicle accidents, or other unanticipated circumstances. Other dental emergencies include:

  • Oral lacerations
  • Lost or cracked fillings or crowns
  • Broken orthodontic appliances
  • A severe toothache
  • A dental abscess (infection)
  • Damaged denture, bridgework, or other tooth replacement

In these cases, treatment cannot wait, and you need to take action right away. Your Norfolk emergency dentists advise keeping an emergency kit handy, particularly if you have children involved in sports. Some basic supplies should include:

  • Sealable plastic bags
  • One or two bottles of water
  • Disposable vinyl gloves
  • Dental floss
  • Reusable ice packs
  • Small hand towels
  • Orthodontic wax
  • Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen

What to do right away

Here are some examples of dental emergencies and what you need to do immediately.

Avulsed tooth You can replant a knocked out tooth by holding it by the crown (top) and placing the roots into the empty socket. Hold it there while going to the dentist's office. If he or she treats and splints it within an hour of injury, you increase the chance that it will survive.

Chipped or cracked tooth The fractured piece should be placed in milk and not left dry,

 and brought to your Norfolk, MA, emergency dentist. Cover jagged tooth edges with orthodontic wax. The doctor likely can bond the pieces back in place with composite resin, or for more serious damage, a crown and or root canal therapy may be needed.

A severe toothache Call the office for an appointment. In the meantime, take analgesic medication, and if there is swelling ice your jaw to reduce swelling (10 minutes on and 10 minutes off).

Oral laceration Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze. If bleeding continues after 15 minutes, get to the hospital emergency room.

Foreign object lodged between teeth Gently try to pry it out with dental floss. If this doesn't work, wait for treatment by Dr. Sapir.

Always call

Our dentists are highly trained in emergency and restorative dentistry, and they are ready to help. If you have a pressing dental concern, call Norfolk Family & Pediatric Dentistry right away at (508) 850-6992.


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Norfolk, MA Pediatric Dentist
Norfolk Family & Pediatric Dentistry
65 Holbrook St. Suite 210
Norfolk, MA 02056-1848
(508) 850-6992
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