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Posts Tagged ‘Emergency dentistry Leeds’

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016

2839654_blogUnfortunately, dental emergencies are fairly common, so it’s advisable to learn how to act in an emergency situation.

Examples of dental emergencies

Examples of dental emergencies include broken teeth, avulsed teeth (teeth that have been knocked out), jaw injuries and severe dental pain.

If you are involved in an accident and you lose a tooth or your tooth is badly broken, it is advisable to contact your dentist as quickly as possible. In some cases, if you can get to the practice very quickly, it may be possible to save an avulsed tooth. If you have lost a tooth, try to wipe it clean while holding it by the crown at all times and then place it between your gum and the inside of your cheek or in a glass of milk.

If you have a broken tooth, you may need urgent treatment to repair it and prevent any further damage. When you see your dentist, it is likely that they will order an X-ray to determine the extent of the damage and identify the best course of action.

Dental pain can be very severe and it may come on very suddenly. If you have serious dental pain, contact your dentist. It may be that you have an infection or an abscess that requires treatment. If you have bearable yet persistent toothache, arrange to see your dentist as dental pain usually indicates an underlying issue, such as a cavity.

Emergency appointments

We always try to cater for patients with dental emergencies as quickly as possible. If you need urgent treatment, contact the practice and we will do everything we can to see you and treat the problem swiftly. If you suffer a jaw injury, such as a fractured jaw, you will need medical attention, so visit your local Accident and Emergency department.

Emergency Procedures That Can Help You

Monday, October 19th, 2015

3520145_blogIn the case of a dental emergency swift, appropriate action is the best way to respond. The American Dental Association recommends that you take the following action if a dental emergency strikes:

  • If a tooth is knocked out, rinse it with water and gently re-embed it. Do not scrub or remove any attached tissue fragments and always hold the tooth by the crown. Time is precious in the case of a knocked out tooth because minute by minute more root cells die. Go straight to the dentist or A & E to save your tooth.
  • If you break or chip a tooth, swill your mouth with warm water and hold a cold compress to the face to reduce swelling before seeing your dentist.
  • Treat a bitten tongue or lip by gently cleaning with a cloth and apply a cold compress to the swelling. If bleeding is heavy or doesn’t stop, see your dentist or go to A and E.
  • If you have a persistent, painful toothache then rinse your mouth with warm water and gently floss around the tooth to remove any food that may be trapped around it. Take a painkiller and see your dentist.
  • For a jaw injury or fracture hold a cold compress to the face and go straight to your dentist or A & E department.
  • If your brace suddenly breaks or wires are sticking into your mouth and gums, cover with gauze and go straight to your dentist.
  • If a dental emergency strikes while you are travelling, check the yellow pages under ‘dentist’.
  • If a crown or filling comes out, use sugar free chewing gum to cement it back in place and go straight to your dentist or A and E department.

Emergency procedures used by dentists

Sometimes your dentist may ask you how you want your dental emergency to be treated unless there is a serious risk of infection.

  • For a knocked out tooth your dentist will re-implant it. Failure to have your tooth professionally reimplanted within the first 30 minutes to 2 hours of the tooth falling out may result in root canal treatment, veneers or dentures.
  • Permanently lost teeth will be replaced by dentists. Failure to have lost teeth replaced may result in damage to your speech and ability to chew. Nowadays dental implants are used which provide stable support for artificial teeth.
  • For a chipped or cracked tooth your dentist will consult you on how you want it to be corrected. Veneers, crowns and fillings are all common procedures and you won’t be able to tell the difference!

Emergency Dentistry Hints and Tips

Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

3534882_blogA dental emergency can happen to anyone. We never know when one is going to occur and it is probable that you will require treatment immediately to fix it. This is why we offer emergency appointments to our patients. They can be necessary for a number of problems, highlighted below:

Knocked Out Teeth

If one of your teeth gets knocked out, you should gently lift it by the crown and clean it with care. Sometimes there will still be gum tissue so you can leave this and carefully return the tooth to the empty socket. Alternatively, place the tooth into a container filled with milk or hold it next to the cheek inside your mouth until you reach the dentist. You should make an appointment as soon as possible to increase the chance of saving the tooth.

Broken Teeth

If part of a tooth has been knocked out or damaged following an accident you should call immediately for an emergency appointment. In the meantime ease any pain or swelling by cleaning your mouth with warm water and using a cold compress on the swollen area.

Bitten Lip or Tongue

If you accidentally bite your tongue or lip so badly that you are bleeding and in pain, go to an emergency room as stitches may be necessary. This should only be done if the bleeding cannot be stopped with a cloth or compress.

Possible Broken Jaw

You may need to visit the hospital if your jaw has suffered an accident or injury. Swelling can be eased by using a cold cloth.

 Toothache

Toothache can happen for a few reasons, but the most common one is dental infection. If it gets worse with time, rinsing your mouth with warm water can help, followed by gentle flossing to get rid of any food debris that can lead to infection. Corsodyl or another specialist mouthwash can help prevent excess bacteria. If the pain persists contact your dentist for treatment so that the infection does not spread.

If you do use painkillers to help with pain in gums and teeth, it is important not to allow them to rest on the gums as they will lead to burning in the gum tissue.

 

 

Braving a Dental Emergency in the City of Leeds

Sunday, November 10th, 2013

5538155_blogAmidst the shock of a crisis cropping up in your mouth, you should never underestimate the nature of a dental emergency in the city of Leeds. Now we are not saying that you should be calling up a dentist or rushing yourself to a hospital in the middle of the night just because a veneer has come loose, but you would be wise to educate yourself as what to do should things wrong and the exact nature of what the emergency is. Having the number of an after hours dentist, knowing where the hospital is, plus having a few soothing products lying around the house is a good start though and there also hot-lines you can call for advice. Emergencies generally are split between serious and not so serious. If you have a tooth knocked out or an abscess breaks out require instant attention and now you can be forgiven for ringing people at all hours. However, the problem of fittings coming loose, a chipped tooth, a toothache or the eruption of a wisdom tooth can wait until you can get in and see your dentist and this is where painkillers and soothing gels come into play if you have them. However, don’t ever be afraid to call someone; you don’t know how serious things can get, but by talking the problem through it can help calm you down when things go wrong.

Coping with a Knocked-out Front Tooth in Leeds

Saturday, June 16th, 2012

Although it may not exactly top the charts of emergencies, having a tooth knocked out in Leeds is  still an emergency and there are a set of rules as to what to do in order that you may just be able to reinstate the tooth into the socket. To avoid damaging the roots and its tissue, the tooth should be only handled at the crown, gently rinsed in warm water and then inserted again. Now this all sounds very easy, however, this is all well and good, but the conditions to do all of this may not exist, nor, often or not, are you going to have some milk or saline around if the tooth won’t go back in so if you have to get to a dentists or A&E, the best way to get the tooth there is by resting it inside the mouth. The thing is, at best, the quicker you can get treatment the more likely the tooth is going to take again in the socket- you may be surprised by how resilient the mouth is in these situations and as long as the tooth is kept saturated, you have around a couple of hours to get it back- hell, you’ve got to give it a shot, your tooth is free, bridges, implants, crowns and dentures are not.

A Knocked out Tooth can Ruin Smiles in all of Leeds

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

How do people lose teeth?

Many people lose teeth prematurely, which can occur as a result of a sports injury, accident or trauma, fighting or as a result of a severe fracture that may be caused by biting something very hard.

What should you do if your tooth is knocked out?

If you lose a tooth it may be possible to salvage it if you can see a dentist quickly. Keep hold of the tooth and store it in milk and arrange to see your Leeds dentist as soon as possible. Do not try to scrub the tooth, as you may damage the enamel and hold the tooth by the crown to prevent damage to the tooth roots.

What happens when I see my dentist?

If it is possible your dentist will try to save the tooth and try to implant it back in the tooth socket. You could try and do this yourself, but many people feel uncomfortable trying to re-insert their own tooth.

What happens if the tooth cannot be saved?

If the tooth cannot be saved, there are options for filling the gap. Dental implants are widely regarded as the most effective long-term tooth replacement. Implants are titanium screws, which are fixed into pre-drilled sockets in the jawbone. Once the implant has settled, a new crown or denture can be attached and the tooth will look like a natural tooth and function in exactly the same way. Another option is a dental bridge and for people who have lost a number of teeth, dentures may be an option.