How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies – McKinney, TX

While you’ll hopefully never experience a dental emergency, these scary situations can happen to anyone at any time. That’s why it’s important to know what to do ahead of time so you can act quickly and correctly when it matters most. We want you to have all the tools and information you need to understand how to handle common dental emergencies in McKinney, TX until you can reach our emergency dental office. Below, you’ll find a few of the most common dental emergencies and how to manage them until you can get the treatment you need.

Something Stuck Between The Teeth

If you’re in pain because of something lodged between your teeth, try using dental floss to remove it. Never resort to using tools like tweezers or pens, as these could cause damage! If floss doesn’t remove the item, rinse your mouth out with water several times until we can see you for an emergency appointment.

Extruded Or Partially Dislodged Tooth

A dental emergency in McKinney that involves a partially knocked-out tooth needs to be treated as soon as possible. Even if the tooth is still mostly in place, it could easily fall out if we don’t stabilize it right away. As you head to our dental office, don’t try to force it back into place or chew anything. Depending on the condition of the tooth, we may be able to save it, or we may recommend extracting and replacing it.

Abscesses

If you have a severe toothache in McKinney accompanied by a small bump on your gums, discharge between your teeth, or extensive swelling in the mouth, you may have and infected tooth or dental abscess. This serious issue needs to be treated right away before it spreads to the rest of your teeth or throughout your body. We’ll aim to preserve your natural tooth structure with a root canal, but the tooth may need to be extracted if the damage is extensive. On your way to our dental office, don’t pop the bump on your gums. Instead, carefully rinse your mouth with warm saltwater to fight the infection.

Gum/Soft Tissue Injury

Injuries to the lips, gums, and tongue can count as a dental emergency in some cases. To control the bleeding, keep a piece of clean gauze over the area. If you need to take a pain reliever, avoid products that contain aspirin, which is a blood thinner. Once the bleeding subsides, you can use a cold compress or ice pack to numb the area until your emergency appointment.

Jaw Pain

In nearly every case, you’ll save time, money, and effort by bringing your dental emergency to us instead of going to your local ER. However, there are several situations that need to be handled at an emergency room before we can care for your smile. Intense jaw pain that’s the result of a dislocated or broken jaw are two such situations. Once you’ve been cleared from the ER, we’ll be more than happy to repair your teeth.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have a dental emergency or are experiencing new, worrisome symptoms. We’ll help you navigate your situation over the phone and schedule you for an emergency appointment as soon as possible.