You’re sitting there, dumbfounded, as you stare into your hands. Unfortunately, you’re looking at pieces of your teeth. You were playing racquetball and got hit right in the mouth by an errant ball. You look in the mirror to see to see how bad it is and you panic. What do you do in this situation? You can’t wait a week for this to get fixed.

This is the type of situation where you should call your emergency dentist in Wilmington. They can get you the immediate help that you need. What are some other situations that you should do this? Dr. Michael Wahl lets you know exactly what to do.

What Is A Dental Emergency?

You might be asking yourself, “What qualifies as a dental emergency?” You don’t want to overreact and rush to the dentist’s office if it’s not serious. The biggest indicator is pain; if you are in so much dental pain that you cannot focus on anything else, you are probably experiencing a dental emergency. Some common examples are:

• Knocked out tooth
• Chipped, cracked, or broken tooth
• Severe toothache
• Injury to the gums or jaw
• Large object caught between teeth
• Swelling of the cheek or jaw

In any of these situations, you need to act fast so you can get the care you need.

What You Can Do

The first thing you need to do is stay calm. This will enable you to think clearly and take action. You should then immediately call your Wilmington emergency dentist at Wahl Family Dentistry. In fact, you should put our number in your phone now so that you don’t have to look it up while injured. We will always try to make an appointment to see you as soon as possible. We are open in the evening on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as have some weekend hours. We will also let you know what you can do in the moment to help alleviate your discomfort.

Some common tips for dental emergencies are:

• Keep a knocked out or broken tooth wet, whether it means placing it back in your mouth or even in a container of milk. These will help preserve it until we can see you.
• Wash the injured area with warm water to help lower the risk of infection.
• Use a cold compress to minimize any pain you are experiencing.
• Ideally, have someone else drive you to the office.

A few ways you can prevent dental emergencies are to wear a mouthguard when playing sports…like racquetball, and avoid chewing on hard things like ice or hard candies. Also, be sure to see us at Wahl Family Dentistry regularly so we can catch anything that may cause you to have an emergency in the future.

Any Questions?

If you want to know more about what you can do in a dental emergency, please give us a call today. We’re ready to be there in one of your most stressful moments, and we know we can give you the type of care and attention you’ll need.