Dental Emergencies
- From: "Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61**spamblock##@hotmail.com>
- Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:57:46 -0500
Dental Emergencies
Rev. 11/19/03
One of the things people neglect is to prepare
for dental emergencies. We are prepared for
general health problems but do not know what to
do when faced with a dental emergency. Whether
the trouble is a simple toothache, pain from
tooth eruption or something more serious like
a broken jaw or a abscessed tooth, dental problems
are serious.
It is good insurance to see a dentist in order
to correct small preventable problems. The twice
a year cleanings will prevent problems, and are well
worth the time and expense. It is smart to add a
dental first aid emergency kit to your first aid
supplies, both at home and when travelling.
This should include:
1. Medications such as, salt, hydrogen peroxide
(3%), acetaminaphen (Tylenol), ibuprophen (Motrin)
oil of cloves and gel with benzocaine, (Orabase
Oral, Anbesol, or Oragel). If you have some of
the Rx pain pills from the last time you had
dental work done, they should go in the kit.
Please keep them in the pharmacy bottle, as
the law requires. Antibiotics such as Amoxicillin.
2. Supplies should include: cotton balls,
cotton swabs, gauze pads, tea bags, a tooth
brush, dental floss, toothpicks, tweezers,
some paraffin or candle wax and an ice pack
or a wet frozen wash cloth.
TOOTHACHE: The most common dental emergency.
This generally means a badly decayed tooth. Or
a neglected cavity. As the pain affects the
tooth's nerve, treatment involves gently removing
any debris lodged in the cavity being careful not
to poke deep as this will cause severe pain if the
nerve is touched. Tooth brushing is good. Next
rinse vigorously with warm water. Then soak a
small piece of cotton in oil of cloves and
insert it in the cavity. This will give temporary
relief until a dentist can do the proper filling.
At times the pain may have a more obscure location
such as decay under an old filling. As this can be
only corrected by a dentist there are two things
you can do to help the pain. First, administer a
pain pill (ibuprophen, naproxyn Sodium, or some
other analgesic). Second, take antibiotics. Very
often an infected tooth will respond to oral
antibiotics, such as penicillin. This will help
reduce the pain until your dentist can make the
proper repairs.
SWOLLEN JAW: This may be caused by several
conditions the most probable being an abscessed
tooth. Abscessed is another word for infected.
In any case the treatment should be to reduce
pain and swelling. An ice pack held on the
outside of the jaw, (ten minutes on and ten
minutes off) will take care of both. If this
does not control the pain, an analgesic tablet
can be given every four hours. Also a good idea
to start antibiotics.
OTHER ORAL INJURIES: Broken teeth, cut lips,
bitten tongue or lips if severe means a trip to a
dentist as soon as possible. In the mean time rinse
the mouth with warm water and place cold compresses
on the face on the injury. If there is a lot of
bleeding, apply direct pressure to the bleeding
area. If bleeding does not stop get patient to
the emergency room of a hospital as stitches may
be necessary. Oral benzocaine products may provide
some relief of pain.
PROLONGED BLEEDING FOLLOWING AN EXTRACTION: If
you went to your dentist or oral surgeon to have
a tooth removed, it may bleed from the socket
afterwards. Place a gauze pad or better still a
moistened tea bag over the socket and bite down
gently. The tannic acid in the tea seeps into the
tissues and often helps stop the bleeding. If
bleeding continues after two hours, call the
dentist or go to the emergency room of the nearest
hospital.
BROKEN JAW: If you suspect the patient's jaw is
broken, bring the upper and lower teeth together.
Put a necktie, handkerchief or towel under the chin,
tying it over the head to immobilize the jaw until
you can get the patient to a dentist or the emergency
room of a hospital.
PAINFUL ERUPTING TOOTH: In young children teething
pain can come from a loose baby tooth or from an
erupting permanent tooth. Some relief can be given
by crushing a little ice and wrapping it in gauze
or a clean piece of cloth and putting it directly
on the tooth or gum tissue where it hurts. The
numbing effect of the cold, along with a child
dose of aspirin, or acetaminophen, usually provides
temporary relief. Please follow the dosage on
the label.
In young adults, an erupting 3rd molar (Wisdom
tooth), will sometimes be impacted, or pressing on
another tooth. This can cause the jaw to swell and
be quite painful. Often the gum around the tooth
will show signs of infection. Temporary relief can
be had by giving oral painkiller and by applying oil
of cloves or benzocaine preps to the sore area. The
swelling of the jaw can be reduced by using an ice
pack on the outside of the face (At intervals of ten
minutes on and ten minutes off.
COLD SORES, CANKER SORES AND FEVER BLISTERS: Sores
in the mouth, lips or tongue can be caused by many
reasons, irritation, injuries which bruise or cut
the lip or just a run-down condition. The germs
which cause most of these sores are always laying
just below the surface waiting for a chance to flare
up. Usually these lesions last five days no matter
what you put on them. Such preparations as Blistex,
Carmex, Butyn Dental Ointment or Spirits of Camphor
will relieve pain but it is doubtful whether they
cause them to heal any sooner. New studies suggest
that high levels of another amino acid, arginine can
give the body increased resistance to these painful
mouth and lip sores.
Generally, when confronted by a dental emergency,
you can only relieve the pain and give temporary
treatment until the patient can see their dentist.
Sometimes, fast prompt emergency treatment can
spell the difference between permanently losing a
tooth and saving it.
.
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