Don't Let a Dental Emergency Spoil Your Vacation

It's Memorial Day weekend. The official kick-off to the summer and time for our very much needed vacations! Planning a vacation is an overwhelming chore, especially if you are in charge of packing up a family. In addition to remembering all your travel essentials, it is wise not to forget about your teeth.

Dental emergencies are not fun and can happen at any time, but when they happen on vacation, they can really put a damper on your plans. If you are going on an extended vacation or trip, it is wise to visit your dentist prior to leaving for a check-up and an "all clear" from your dentist. Although planning ahead will not prevent an emergency, it will definitely ease the pain. Dental emergencies range from tooth aches to broken or knocked out teeth. Whenever dental pain or trauma occurs, it is important to seek immediate treatment.

Tips for Handling Dental Emergencies Prior to Seeing the Dentist:

• Toothaches- Rinse mouth with warm water and use dental floss to remove any lodged food. If swelling appears, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin against the gums or on a sore because it may burn the tissues.
  


• Chipped or broken teeth- If bleeding occurs, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek to reduce swelling and ease pain.



• Knocked out tooth- Retrieve the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that you see in your mouth) and rinse with warm water. Without force try to replace the tooth facing the right way. If that's not possible, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or a cup of water with a pinch of table salt). A tooth that has been knocked out has the highest chance of being saved when it is returned to the socket within one hour.



• Extruded (partially dislodged) tooth- Apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek to ease the pain. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.
  


• Lost filling- Stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity or use an over-the-counter temporary dental cement. If the area is sharp, try using a nail file to gently smooth the area.



• Lost crown- Try to slip the crown back over the tooth. Denture adhesives can assist in holding the crown in place until you can get to the dentist. (It is important to put the crown back in so the gum tissue does not overgrow the area.)



• Loose or broken braces bracket, band or wire- Use orthodontic wax to cover and hold the broken piece in place.
  


• Abcess- This is an infection which can be painful and is sometimes visable as a pimple on the gum. Rinse mouth with mild salt-water solution several times a day. It is important that an abcess is attended to immediately to avoid further infection in your body.



• Soft-tissue injuries- Injuries to the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips can bleed easily. Rinse mouth with a mild salt-water solution. Hold a damp piece of gauze to the site for about 15 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop in a reasonable amount of time, see a dentist or go to the emergency room.
  

We do not recommend using an over the counter topical to numb the area, such as orajel, since this will not alleviate tooth pain. Anti-inflammatories, such as Advil, Motrin or Aspirin are best at easing dental pain.

Be sure to take your dentist's name and phone number with you on vacation as well as your dental insurance information. We are here 24/7 to answer all you dental questions and concerns.
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***Excerpts from WebMD, LLC. 2005-2011.