Dental Emergency — DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
Fortunately, most dental emergencies can be prevented with regular dental visits, athletic mouth guards, night guards and adult supervision. When a dental emergency does occur, though, it is without warning. Here is some information from Dr. Johnston, to help you do the right thing should an emergency arise.
Dr. Johnston understands that a "cosmetic" emergency is important, emotionally. Please call the office anytime if a front tooth breaks.
Please feel free to call our office with any concerns during or after business hours. Dr. Johnston's home and cell phone are always available for you.
Dr. Carroll Johnston
540-822-4224
Broken Tooth — From Injury
Use an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling in the affected area. Rinse the area with warm water. Call the office right away and come is as soon as possible.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please call the office.
Your chances of saving the tooth are directly proportional to your reaction time. Call us immediately to let us know you are on your way to our office. Handle the tooth by the crown ONLY. Gently rinse away dirt, but DO NOT rub the tooth. Place the tooth either in a cup of milk, or inside the cheek, for transport to our office. Apply an ice pack to the surrounding area to reduce swelling.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please call the office.
If a permanent or temporary crown or bridge comes off, the unprotected tooth is often sensitive. Call our office so you can come in right away to have the crown or bridge re-cemented, even if there is no initial sensitivity. Teeth can shift rapidly without the crown in place. If your crown does not fit back in, if too much time has passed, and the teeth have shifted, we may not be able to reuse the old crown and you'll need to have another one made. If you are on travel, place the crown back in, using store bought denture adhesive. This will maintain the proper spacing, but is a very temporary fix. Decay will form under the margins, if the crown or bridge is not secured with permanent adhesive, by the dentist.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please call the office.
Try flossing and gently brushing to dislodge any trapped food. Then, rinse with warm water. If the face is swollen, use an ice pack to sooth inflammation and pain. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever. Call us immediately, so we can prescribe medication and set up an appointment.
Please call the office if you have any questions.
Bleeding — FOLLOWING A BABY TOOTH COMING OUT
Pack the area with a clean, folded gauze pad. Have your child bite down lightly on the gauze pad for 15 minutes. Do NOT interrupt the clotting process by looking under the gauze pad. Wait the entire 15 minutes. You can repack the area once, but if the bleeding persists, please call us.
Bleeding — CUT OR BITTEN TONGUE, LIP OR CHEECK
Apply firm, gentle pressure with a clean gauze or cloth. Do NOT interrupt the clotting process by continually looking under the cloth. This will prolong the bleeding. If bleeding does not stop within 15 minutes, and cannot be controlled with gentle pressure, go to an urgent care facility.
Extruded Teeth — TEETH PUSHED OUT OF PLACE
If a tooth is pushed out of place, either inward or outward, it should be repositioned to normal alignment using very light finger pressure. Do not FORCE the tooth back into the socket. Hold it in place with a moist tissue and call us, so you can come right to the office.
When inflammation and pain occurs, rinse the area with warm water, holding the water in your mouth on the affected side until the water cools. Using 3 or 4 glasses of warm water each day will usually control the inflammation and pain.
An over-the-counter pain medication can be used. Call our office to schedule an appointment.
540-822-4224