7 Day A Week Dental Emergency Service in Valparaiso

If you or your child has a tooth that gets knocked out, you should rinse it off, rinse out your mouth to clean the socket area. If possible, place the tooth back in the socket if you can without too much discomfort. Hold it in place by biting down gently. If this causes too much discomfort, store the tooth in a container of milk or saliva. With prompt care, Dr. Drone may be able to successfully place the tooth back in its proper place.

If your tooth breaks, you should follow similar steps. Save the broken piece of your tooth, and store it in milk or saliva. In some cases, Dr. Drone can bond the broken tooth back in place with composite resin. In other cases, a dental crown may be recommended.

As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum (sugar-filled gum will cause pain) into the area of the lost filling, wax or use an over-the-counter dental cement until you can see Dr. Drone.

If the crown falls off, try to replace the crown by coating the inside surface with vaseline, toothpaste or denture adhesive. DO NOT SLEEP WITH A LOOSE CROWN. Take it out at night so you do not aspirate the crown into the lungs. If your crown is aspirated into the lungs then you need to go to the emergency room immediately and call Dr. Drone.

Toothaches can occur for several reasons, including cavities and dental infection. Before you come into the office, non-prescription pain medications and hot or cold compresses can help to reduce your pain. The right long-term treatment will depend on the cause of your toothache. Possible recommendations include a filling, crown and/or root canal therapy.

Abscesses are infections that occur around the root of a tooth or in the area between the teeth and gums. Abscesses can be a serious condition that may damage the gum tissue, surrounding teeth, jawbone or sinus. The infection can possibly spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. Call Dr. Drone as soon as possible. Untreated abscesses can cause serious dental and general health problems. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the surface, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution containing 1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water several times a day along with medication such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol.

Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here are some recommendations:

• Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution containing 1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water several times a day.
• Moisten a gauze or tea bag and apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place between 15 to 20 minutes.
• Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area between 5 to 10 minutes.
• If the bleeding does not stop please call Dr. Drone right away or go to an urgent care facility or to the hospital emergency room. Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.