A variety of circumstances can cause a dental emergency. When faced with a situation that puts your oral and overall health in jeopardy, it’s important to act quickly. Following certain guidelines ensures the complications can be corrected and your smile’s aesthetics and function are restored.
How Your Dentist Can Take the Stress Out of a Dental Emergency
While many dental emergencies are severe enough to land you in urgent care, there are less critical circumstances that still require immediate attention. When this is the case, you should contact your dentist’s office to be seen sooner rather than later. Dr. Reynolds adjusts office hours accordingly when one of her patients call with an emergency, often staying late or coming in early to ensure health, function, and beauty are returned to their smile.
All after hours phone calls are directed to Dr. Reynolds’ cell phone to accommodate those needing advisement or treatment outside of regular business hours. At our office, we make it a priority for our patients to speak with a live person to help alleviate the anxiety involved when dealing with an immediate dental concern.
Avoiding Complications in a Dental Emergency
Time is of the essence when a dental emergency occurs. Calling or going to a dental or medical professional directly afterward enables a successful rehabilitation. You can help simplify any restoration process by collecting the teeth or pieces of teeth that may have broken off. When your child has a primary tooth knocked out it can be preserved in milk. Adult teeth are best protected by being immersed in an ADA-approved preservation solution until you are seen by a professional.
Other complications, such as toothaches, abscesses, or bleeding can benefit from swishing with warm water to clean out the area, while a cold compress reduces swelling and minimizes discomfort when experiencing trauma.
You can take preventive measures that can decrease the severity of a dental emergency. By avoiding chewing on hard objects such as hard candy or pens, you can prevent cracking your tooth. Additionally, consider wearing a mouth guard during all physical activities that could put the security of your teeth in jeopardy.
Contact Us Today
At our office, Dr. Martina Reynolds recognizes how an untreated dental emergency can derail the benefits of years of good oral hygiene. With the help of our dedicated support staff, she provides emergency dental services to our patients around Midtown, Central Park, and the surrounding communities in Manhattan. If you want emergency care from a practice that guarantees a personal touch, call our office.