By being prepared, you can remain calm and know what to do. The following tips will help you take the correct steps and avoid unnecessary complications.

Uncomfortable Toothaches- Toothache pain can become unbearable. Severe tooth pain can be caused by an infection or dental abscess, or from decay that has irritated the nerves in your tooth. If an over-the-counter pain reliever will not address the discomfort, you should consider it a dental emergency. Call Riverside Dental Center immediately, and follow these tips until we can see you:

• Rinse with salt water to kill bacteria and stop inflammation.
• Use dental floss to remove any food near the sore tooth.
• Hold a cold compress against the cheek over the sore tooth.
• Apply an oral numbing gel to the sore tooth and the gums around it.

Never apply a pain reliever directly to your tooth or gums. It will irritate the tissue and make it worse.

We will examine the tooth and determine the source of the pain.

A Broken or Cracked Tooth- If you break or chip a tooth it is best to see Riverside Dental Center soon. The sooner we can treat you, we might be able to reattach the broken piece. Save any pieces of the tooth and rinse them in warm water. Put the broken piece in a cup of milk and bring it to your appointment.

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if the tooth is painful. Hold an ice pack against your cheek, and if you are bleeding, bite down on a piece of gauze.

A Knocked-Out Tooth- A tooth being knocked out can be traumatic. If you can see us a Riverside Dental Center within an hour, there is a very good chance we can re-insert the tooth into its socket and save it.

Call us immediately. If there is debris on the tooth, run it under cold water, and do not dry it. Push it back into the socket, and bite down gently until you reach us. If you cannot get it into its socket, put it in a cup of milk.

The emergency treatment is to clean the socket, re-insert the tooth, and use a special splint to hold it in place. In a few weeks, the tooth will fuse with the jawbone.

A Lost or Damaged Filling- If you crack or chip a dental filling and are not experiencing any pain, call Riverside Dental Center and schedule an appointment. If you lose an entire filling, you can place some sugar-free gum in the space. You can see us to have the filling replaced within a few days. If there is pain, call us so we can place a new filling promptly.

A Lost Crown- A lost crown can be an emergency dentistry situation, but like a lost filling, you can wait a few days for treatment. Put clove oil on the tooth to alleviate any soreness. You can also use denture glue to put the crown back on. Never use super glue. If the crown will not stay on the tooth, keep it in a plastic bag until you see us.

Loose Braces Brackets- A loose braces bracket is not an emergency dentistry issue, but it is a reason to see Riverside Dental Center soon. Use orthodontic wax to hold the loose bracket in place. Apply some wax on the bracket so that it will not rub your cheek. If an arch wire breaks off, this also can wait until the next day. To keep the wire from poking your cheek, use a pencil eraser to bend it back against your teeth. Do not cut the wire. Put some orthodontic wax on the end to prevent it from poking your cheek.

A Dental Abscess- A dental abscess is an infection that happens around a tooth root. It can be quite painful and can be dangerous if it spreads into the jawbone. Seek treatment for a possible dental abscess as soon as possible to control the spread of infection. Call us immediately if you have a fever or severe pain. If you can manage the pain with over-the-counter pain relievers, call us in the morning, and we will see you that day.

You can use cold compresses, salt-water rinses, and eat just soft foods. Abscesses are usually treated with a root canal procedure or an extraction.

An Oral Injury- If you have an accidental injury resulting in tissue damage or bleeding, you should go to the emergency room. The doctor will address any external cuts and bring in an emergency dentist for your teeth or soft tissues. While you are heading to the ER, place a cold compress on the wounded area to control the bleeding and rinse your mouth with cool water to keep the area clean.