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Emergency Dental First Aid |
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We all do our best to avoid accidents; but, mishaps do happen. In the
event of an after hours emergency please feel
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free to alert one of the doctors on call with the number listed below.
Please be ready to give a brief description of the problem |
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as well as your medical history and insurance information. If you are
a first time patient, you will be expected to pay for services |
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the time they are rendered with a receipt available on the next
business day.
(703) 860-4148 |
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Toothache
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Thoroughly, but gently, brush, floss and rinse the area with warm salt
water to remove any trapped food or debris from around the |
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tooth. Do take an over the counter pain medicine as
prescribed on the bottle but do not place an aspirin on the gum as
this can |
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cause a chemical burn of the tissue causing additional discomfort. If
your pain does not subside, please call us. If the area is |
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swollen, a cold compress may reduce the swelling and discomfort but
the doctor should be notified either way. |
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Debris Caught Between The Teeth |
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Occasionally, a foreign object (floss, food, popcorn kernel, etc.) may
become lodged between your teeth. If it remains too long, |
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the area will become sore and may even lead to gum problems. Start by
using a new piece of floss the way you were taught in |
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the office. The next trick is to tie a small knot in the floss and
gently insert the floss between the teeth by sliding it back and |
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forth between the tight spot. Once the floss “pops” through the tight
spot, pull the floss and knot towards the cheek. You may |
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have to repeat this several times but the knot will often catch the
object. If you are unable to get the floss between your teeth |
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due to the foreign object, try this trick. Your teeth are attached to
the jaw bone by shock absorbing ligaments, take advantage |
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of this cushion by placing a toothpick between your teeth below the
foreign object. Press firmly and wait a minute or two until the |
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pressure has decreased and then press again. Once the pressure
decreases a second time, remove the toothpick and quickly try |
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the knot in floss technique. Whether or not you are successful, it is
advised to have the area evaluated by the dentist to ensure all |
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Bleeding |
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Apply firm, steady pressure to the area with a damp, clean cloth or
piece of gauze. Biting on a moistened tea bag placed |
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directly over an extraction site is very effective after a tooth has
been surgically removed. If the bleeding has not stopped, or |
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significantly slowed, after 15 minutes, contact the doctor or proceed
directly to the emergency room. |
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Chipped Tooth |
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If you are not immediately in pain, you may be able to schedule a
future appointment to evaluate the area and restore/repair |
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the damaged tooth. If the tooth is sharp or rough, you may be able to
cover the area with wax or carefully use an emery |
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board to smooth the damaged portion. This will make your tongue and/or
your cheek much more comfortable. The traumatic |
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injury has already damaged the tooth; your goal is to minimize any
further damage to your tooth or soft tissues until it can be |
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properly evaluated; please do not chew on that side. |
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If you do experience persistent pain or sensitivity in the damaged
tooth, wax may help to insulate the broken area but call the |
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doctor as soon as possible for assistance. |
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Adult Tooth Knocked Out |
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Time is of the essence. Quickly find the tooth and rinse it off in
cold water being careful not to touch the root. The root is the |
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portion of the tooth that is supposed to be in the gum and bone that
normally you can not see. The root is covered by a thin, |
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delicate layer of cells that we must preserve. Do not use soap, scrub
or “play with” the tooth. Now that it is clean, try to place |
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it back in it’s home; the socket. If the tooth does not seem to fit,
check to make sure it is not going in backwards. |
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Once in place, gently bite on a piece of gauze or a clean cloth-and
call us! Every 30 minutes the tooth is out the prognosis drops. |
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If it is impossible to return the tooth to it’s socket, place it in a
cup of cold milk or place it in the victim’s mouth. If you swallow |
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the tooth we can not help you, if you aspirate (inhale the tooth into
your lung) your problems have just gotten worse. If the mouth |
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seems unwise or unsafe, do not follow that recommendation. We can do
amazing things with the benefit of dental implants. |
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Baby Tooth Knocked Out |
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Typically, baby teeth are not returned to their socket. Do try to find
the tooth and reassure your child. Call us. Your child will |
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need to be evaluated to assess any other damage that may have
occurred. |
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Mouth Sores |
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Canker sores (apthous ulcers) typically occur under the tongue, on the gums
or the cheek. They can be caused by stress, |
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trauma or acidic (oranges, tomatoes, etc.) foods. They range in size
from a pin-head up to one-half inch in diameter and |
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may last up to ten days. A good over the counter medication that will
decrease the discomfort and may speed healing |
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when applied directly to the sore is Kanka. For more frequent sufferers we can
prescribe Kenalog in Orabase. |
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Fever blisters or cold sores (caused by the Herpes Simplex virus) typically
appear on the lip. They can be triggered by illness, |
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stress, pregnancy or prolonged exposure to the sun or cold. These
sores are highly contagious when the blister breaks and |
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begins to “weep”. Contact with these open blisters can infect others
and even infect other parts of your own body. Ointments |
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with vitamin E or aloe vera or the prescription Denavir will make
the sore more comfortable. An over the counter medication, |
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Abreva, has been shown to speed healing and improve comfort. This
medication can be taken at the first sign of an outbreak, |
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even before it is visible to the naked eye. |
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These are two of the most common mouth sores, but many others do
exist. Contact us for more information. |
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Root Canal Therapy |
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Your Temporary Crown |
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Post extraction instructions |
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Post scaling rootplaning instructions |
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