|
Knocked Out or Severely Loosened Tooth
Time is of the essence, especially in the case of a tooth completely out of its socket! Find the tooth and all the broken pieces. Gently rinse the tooth in warm water and remove any obvious dirt or foreign matter, but don't scrape off the soft tissue attached to the root or aggressively scrape it clean. Being careful to orient the tooth correctly, reimplant the tooth in the socket with gentle but firm pressure as close to its original position as possible. Reimplanting within as short a time as possible is critical. If reimplantation is not possible, place the tooth in the mouth under the lip to keep moist, or in a cup of milk as a last resort. It is essential that a dentist reimplant the tooth as soon as possible. Time is critical to successful long-term retention. Severely loosened teeth also need immediate attention. Call as soon as possible.
Canker Sore or Cold Sore
Canker sores occur inside the lips or mucosa of the oral cavity and typically present a red halo around a whitish center. They can be fairly uncomfortable and the soreness can be relieved with over-the-counter medications like Orabase, Zilactin-B, or any preparation with benzocaine local anesthetic agents. Aspirin should not be applied directly to the sore--it will burn tissues. Cold sores occur on the outside of the lips or face and are a viral disorder. Abreva is a good over-the-counter medication for cold sores. A prescription for antiviral medications can also be helpful.
Jaw Joint Pain (TMJ)
The jaw joint is called the Temporal-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) and consists of a cartilage disc positioned between the two bones in the joint. This joint can develop painful clicks, have non-painful innocent clicks, or can lock in open or closed positions with obvious distress. The muscles controlling the joint can be painful from clenching as well. Significant pain can be helped with anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, a soft diet for a time, and the use of intermittent hot and cold packs over the joint areas in front of the ears. Call during business hours for an evaluation.
Teething Pain
Applying cold can help, and over-the-counter medications like Tylenol for infants are extremely valuable. A cold teething ring to chew on can be comforting, but don't use frozen ones. Always confirm the safety of any over-the-counter medications with your pediatrician or Dr. McMahan.
For additional information on dental emergencies not covered here, contact our office. We will be happy to advise you.
|
|
