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What Do I Do In A Dental Emergency?

 5 Simple Steps To Take

Not sure what you should do if you have a dental emergency? In this blog from Midtown Dental Clinic, we’ll give you some advice on how to deal with an oral injury or other serious dental emergencies in Kennewick or Richland. Read on, and make sure you’re prepared!

1. Stay Calm & Assess The Situation

First, you need to stay calm. Dental emergencies, particularly injuries, can be very scary, but they are very rarely life-threatening. Assess the situation and determine what’s happened to your mouth.

Is your tooth broken? Is it loose? Do you have a damaged piece of dental work? Take the time to assess what’s going on so that you can discuss it with your dentist when you call for same-day dental care.

2. Recover Your Tooth, Fragments, Or Dental Work (If Applicable)

If you have lost a tooth, recover it, rinse it off, and immediately put it into a container of cold milk. Then, call a dentist. You need to have the tooth replaced within 1-2 hours to save it.

If your tooth is broken or you’ve lost or damaged a piece of dental work, recover the fragments or dental work. Tooth fragments should also be put into milk, while dental work can simply be put into a plastic baggie.

3. Call An Emergency Dentist To Get Care

You may think you need to go to the ER to treat your issue, but this is rarely the case. You should only go to the emergency room if you truly believe your life is in danger. ERs usually don’t have dentists on staff, and even if they do, care at the ER is much more expensive compared to seeing an emergency dentist.

So make sure to call an emergency dentist in Southeast Washington, such as Midtown Dental Clinic. Discuss your issue with the dental team and schedule a same-day appointment to get the help you need.

4. Take Steps To Treat Your Injury Or Emergency

If your mouth is bleeding, you can use cotton balls, gauze, or paper towels to help control blood flow, which should slow within an hour. Over-the-counter medicine like naproxen or ibuprofen can help with pain, and applying an ice pack to the cheek near the affected area is also a great way to help with swelling and discomfort.

These are all temporary steps, though. The most important thing you can do is see your dentist for care right away.

5. Visit Your Dentist ASAP

It’s very important to see your dentist as soon as possible for treatment. This relieves your pain and discomfort, prevents further complications, and lets you get back to your day-to-day routine. Your dentist will examine the tooth or affected area of your mouth, assess the issue, and provide you with the treatment you need to resolve the situation.

Need Emergency Dentistry In Southeast Washington? We’ve Got You Covered

At Midtown Dental Clinic, we provide emergency dentistry for the entire family in Richland and Kennewick. If you need an emergency appointment, just give us a call at (509) 204-7894 (Richland) or (509) 204-7563 (Kennewick) to speak to one of our team members and get the help you need. We’re always standing by to provide same-day emergency care!

Location

750 George Washington Way,
Richland, WA, Suite 1 99352

Office Hours

MON8:00 am - 5:00 pm

TUE8:00 am - 7:00 pm

WED - THU8:00 am - 5:00 pm

FRI7:00 am - 2:00 pm

SAT - SUNClosed