Dental Emergencies in New Jersey: First Aid for Your Smile

Dental emergencies can happen when you least expect them. A fall on the stairs before work, a collision during a weekend soccer game, or sudden tooth pain that appears without warning can quickly turn an ordinary day into a stressful situation.

The good news is that quick action can help protect your teeth and reduce long-term damage. Recognizing the signs of a dental emergency and knowing a few basic first aid steps can make a big difference while you arrange care with a trusted New Jersey dentist.

What are Dental Emergencies?

Dental emergencies are classified as any pain or damage to the teeth that cannot be repaired at home and requires medical attention.

Such conditions include:

• Knocked-out, broken, or cracked teeth
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Mouth or jaw trauma following an accident

If you or a loved one is showing any signs of these, do not wait. Many New Jersey dental offices offer both standard and off-hour dental care, who can provide quick relief when such situations occur.

Some common examples of dental emergencies may be:

Knocked-out Teeth

Knocked-out teeth involve any force on the mouth or teeth that is hard enough to knock a tooth out of its socket. While it is possible to save a permanent tooth that has been knocked out of place, you need to act fast. Before emergency care arrives, be sure to do the following:

• Locate the tooth. The messy nature of a tooth knockout means it may not immediately evident where the severed tooth may have gone.
• Hold and handle the tooth via the crown. The crown is the white/yellow enamel of your teeth that is visible in your smile and used for chewing. Be careful not to handle the roots to avoid messing with connective tissue.
• Try to place the tooth back in the socket. If unclean, give the tooth a gentle rinse. Do not scrub, as this can also damage tissue. Place the tooth in milk or saliva to keep it moist if reinsertion does not work; plain water will not work.
• See a dentist as soon as you can. Within thirty minutes is ideal; do not wait any longer than an hour.

This only applies to permanent, adult teeth. If a baby tooth is knocked out, they are generally not reattached. The risk of damaging the growing tooth underneath is too high, and a new tooth will eventually emerge.

Severe Toothache

Toothaches can be symptoms or indicators of greater problems. Some of those issues may be simple and easily prevented, such as brushing too hard or grinding teeth at night. Others, such as cavities or gum disease, are much more serious.

If you are dealing with an unpleasant and intense toothache, some steps to take before seeing a dental specialist go include:

• Warm saltwater rinse: As unpleasant as the taste can be, the salt and warmth of the water help to keep your mouth and teeth clean.
• Flossing: Food particles and plaque buildup between teeth fuel cavities through bacterial growth. Cleaning out difficult corners of your teeth is a strong preventative measure against toothaches.
• Over-the-counter medications: Certain medications can help ease tooth pain if it is a recurring problem. Take medications as directed; if using aspirin, do not apply it directly to the gums, as that can damage the tissue.
• See a professional: Though medications can alleviate negative side effects, seeing a dentist is the best way to figure out the root cause. Toothaches are often caused by other teeth or gum conditions, and proper dentistry and help to figure this out and address the problem early on.

Partially Broken Teeth

Sometimes, teeth aren’t completely knocked out of their sockets. Severe blows to the mouth can also cause cracking, chipping, or splitting. Partially broken teeth are capable of being saved but require fast action as well.

Before you seek dental emergency care, these are acceptable steps for first aid:

• Find and save missing tooth fragments. Like tooth knockouts, fractures can be a messy affair. It may not be immediately evident where the fragments landed.
• Rinse with warm water. This helps to clean your mouth and remove blood.
• Apply a cold compress. Facial swelling is a common side effect of tooth knockouts, and a good cold compress can help to reverse this.
• Apply gauze if there is any bleeding.

And lastly, seek dental help to potentially salvage your teeth and keep damage under control.

Lost Filling/Crown

Just as natural teeth can be lost or damaged, fillings or crowns can too. While losing artificial implants is not always necessarily an emergency, they too require swift attention and exercising care. In this situation, it is advisable to do the following:

• Keep the area around the tooth clean.
• Be mindful of chewing. Fillings or crowns cover soft, interior tooth tissue and can be easily damaged if exposed. Avoid chewing, particularly very hard and crumbly foods, on the damaged side of the mouth.
• Use temporary covers. Sugar-free gum and temporary dental cement can help cover the location until the filling is found, or emergency care is sought out.
• Dentist visit: Even if you do find the crown or filling and restore it to the proper location, it is best to see a dentist at your earliest availability. While there, they can check to make sure your filling is properly fitted and determine what may have caused the looseness.

Oral Infections/Abscesses

Damaged areas of teeth and gums are very susceptible to infections, and they can spread quickly. Some common indicators of a potential oral infection are:

• Swelling and inflammation
• Tenderness
• Fever
• Fatigue

A saltwater rinse and over-the-counter pain medication can help ease the pain. However, it is best to meet with a doctor if you suspect there you have an infection.

Emergency Dental Care Options in New Jersey

New Jersey’s high population density and proximity to the major urban centers of New York and Philadelphia ensure residents are never far from quality dental care. Many dental facilities, such as Garden State Dental Design in Clark and Millburn, offer emergency dental services both during business and extended hours.

When making a call to an office, be sure to have insurance information and relevant medical/dental information ready in advance. Tell the receptionist exactly what happened, so they can figure out how to help you and what kind of services you need.

Going to a dentist facility, however, is not always advised. Seek out hospital care if:

• You suspect your jaw, rather than specific teeth, is broken.
• You experienced significant head trauma in addition to the teeth/mouth.
• Pressure and gauze cannot contain bleeding.
• You cannot find access to emergency dentistry.

How to Better Prevent Dental Emergencies

Sports and athletic pursuits are a common cause of dental emergencies, particularly in physically active children and young adults. Mouthguards provide protection to teeth specifically during sports, while a well-fitted helmet keeps and entire face and head safe from hard blows.

Avoid or be mindful of harder-to-chew foods, such as:

• Ice
• Hard candies
• Raw vegetables
• Steak

Your teeth may seem and feel hard and anchored firmly in place, but they are not tools. Better alternatives for opening boxes and bags are:

• Keys
• Scissors
• Knives

Lastly, keep up with regular medical visits. Many dental emergencies start with unaddressed problems; those recurring toothaches could be a cavity, and that infection may be from a chipped tooth.

Protect Your Teeth with Garden State Dental Design

The Garden State Dental team works with the latest technology and methods to help you develop your best possible smile, in both routine and emergency situations.

Call (732) 306-6152 to access our emergency line. For non-dental emergencies, schedule an appointment online.