Dental emergencies happen. Anytime you injure your teeth or gums, you should treat it seriously. Dental problems that are not addressed in a timely manner can increase the chance for permanent damage as well as the potential need for more extensive procedures to fix them down the road. At Falmouth Dental Arts, we’re here to be your partners in oral health and want to make sure you know what to do if you or your child injures their teeth or mouth.

The first thing to know if a dental injury does occur, is that you should call our office right away at 207.781.5900 to schedule an appointment. Our team of compassionate dental professionals will help you determine a treatment plan and coordinate with your other health care professionals as needed. If it is outside of our regular business hours, you will be given an option to get in touch with Dr. Brunacini or Dr. Karagiorgos. To relieve pain, you can apply a cold compress or take over-the-counter painkillers until you can get into our office. In the event of a head injury or any other type of serious injury, please contact your physician as soon as possible or go to your nearest emergency room.

If you find yourself with a dental injury that isn’t an emergency and doesn’t require immediate care, there are some steps you can take at home that can be helpful before you come into our office for your appointment.

Toothache

• Rinse your mouth with warm water.
• Floss to remove any food particles that may be adding pressure to the tooth.
• Apply a cold compress to your cheek if your mouth is swollen.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers as needed.

Knocked Out Tooth

• Find the tooth if you can! Rinse it off with water if it is dirty.
• If you have bleeding in the mouth, use gauze to gently absorb it.
• Store your tooth in milk until you can see Dr. B or Dr. K. *Please note, knocked out teeth have the best chance of being saved if they are returned to socket within an hour.
• Apply a cold compress to your cheek if your mouth or lip is swollen.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers as needed.

Chipped Tooth

• If a piece of your tooth chips off, save it if you can.
• Rinse your mouth with warm water, gently.
• If you have bleeding in the mouth, use gauze to gently absorb it.
• Apply a cold compress to your cheek if your mouth or lip is swollen.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers as needed.

Lost Filling

• Stick a piece of sugar-free gum in the cavity as a temporary measure until you can come in to see Dr. B or Dr. K.

Lost Crown

• If you can find the crown, store it in a safe place so you can bring it to your dental appointment.
• If the area is causing you pain, apply clove oil with a cotton swab to the sensitive area.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers as needed.

This time of year, school sports are starting up again. Consider protecting the teeth of your active kids with a mouth guard! We have the capability in our office to make a custom-fit mouth guard for your kid. If you’re buying a mouth guard over-the-counter, look for one that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance and is designed for the specific sport of activity your child is playing. If you have questions about mouth guards or what to do when a dental emergency or dental injury occurs, please don’t hesitate to call our office. We are here to help and provide you with the best oral care possible!