Common Dental Emergencies (and How to Handle Them)

Dealing with a dental emergency in Cerritos can be scary for most people. It’s crucial to know how to conduct yourself in these situations to protect your oral health and remove any discomfort.

Here are six common dental emergencies and how to handle them:

1. Knocked-out Teeth

If a tooth gets knocked out during a fall or direct blow to the mouth, you can actually prevent permanent tooth loss.

Keep the tooth in an airtight container with milk, which can help preserve the tooth. Then, an emergency dentist can attempt to reimplant it in its socket.

2. Toothache

Most people will experience a toothache at some point, but if the pain is so strong that you cannot sleep or focus on regular activities, then it’s a dental emergency.

You can try over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen to manage your pain. Applying a cold compress to your cheek can also help, especially if you’re also dealing with swelling. You can also try pain-relieving gels.

These methods are temporary, however, so even if they help, unless you treat the underlying cause, the pain will come back.

3. Oral Bleeding

Bleeding from the mouth could happen because of an injury, or it could be a sign of dental issues like gum disease.

If bleeding is profuse, you can place gauze (a clean cloth or any piece of fabric) at the source and hold it tightly. This can help control it until your emergency dental appointment. 

4. Damaged Crown or Dental Filling

Crowns and fillings are supposed to protect the natural tooth from cavities. If they come loose or break, you need to replace them as soon as possible.

You can try to fix them using temporary dental cement (found in most drug stores), but your best shot is to see a dentist near you right away. 

5. Broken Braces

Broken braces can lead to oral injuries as the wires may hurt your tongue, gums, or insides of the cheek.

You can use orthodontic wax to cover the sharp edges and minimize the injury risk until you can see your orthodontist. But an emergency dentist can also help.

6. Tooth Abscess

A tooth abscess is a sign of infection. It’s a pus-filled pocket that sometimes forms on the gums (and looks like a pimple.) It may also affect the gum or tooth tissue.

Symptoms can include:

• Severe pain and swelling
• Red and swollen gums
• Bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth
• Sensitivity to heat and cold

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do at home. A tooth infection can only be treated by a dentist. 

How Cerritos Plaza Dentistry Can Help

Dr. Jared Wu provides both same-day and weekend appointments to help you deal with a dental emergency swiftly. 

Call us at (562) 924-8663 if you need immediate care, or contact the Cerritos Plaza Dentistry team online for more information.