Dental trauma is common and affects millions of people every year. While athletes and active children run the highest risk of injuries, we are all vulnerable to falls or accidents that can cause damage to your teeth. Chipped teeth occur most often, followed by injury related tooth loss.
Protecting Yourself, Your Children, and Your Athlete
Dentists recommend using a mouth guard while participating in any kind of athletic activity and doing so significantly reduces your risk of dental injuries due to trauma, and the expense that goes along with it.
It is wise to make the small investment into a professional mouth guard that is custom fitted by a dentist. This assures a proper fit and keeps the player’s mouth well protected. If that is not an option, use a guard that is softened by heating, then biting into to form a custom fit around the teeth.
A good rule of thumb on when to use a mouth guard is that if a helmet is recommended - so is a mouth guard.
When a Dental Injury Occurs
It is imperative to get the patient to an emergency dentist immediately!
If there has been some trauma to the mouth, the extent of the damage may be obvious or you might not notice anything out of the ordinary. A trained professional knows when an x-ray is necessary and can assess the injury. Only then can your dentist recommend the best treatment for it.
Dental injuries may require a referral to a specialist. In many cases, if a tooth has been intrinsically damaged, an endodontist will be consulted to try to save it. Treatment will depend on the type of injury, location, and severity.
If you or your loved one is experiencing extreme pain or heavy bleeding from the mouth and cannot reach your dentist, go directly to your local emergency room.
What to do While Waiting to see the Dentist
Dislodged Baby Teeth – don’t need to be replaced, however, the child must be seen by a medical professional.
Dislodged Adult Teeth - can be gently cleaned and placed back into the gum, placing a napkin over it and biting down softly on the way to the dentist. Permanent teeth lost by a child can be placed in milk or slightly salted water.
For any injury, until the dentist can be seen, keep the area clean by using a soft toothbrush and antiseptic mouthwash. Eat only soft foods and avoid risky activities. Take over-the-counter pain relievers to help ease any pain.
Emergency Dental Treatment in Glen Ellyn
If you have experienced a dental emergency or have severe tooth pain in the Glen Ellyn area, call DeLeon Family Dental, where we make your dental emergency our priority.