Experiencing a dental emergency is stressful and painful. It can be difficult to know what to do or where to go, especially for patients who do not have a dental home or access to affordable care on a regular basis. VINA serves as a dental home for low-income, uninsured patients and treats approximately 50-100 emergencies every year.
Dental emergencies include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Toothaches and tooth pain
- Knocked-out, chipped or broken teeth
- Lost filling or crown
- Abnormal bleeding, pain or swelling
Tips for dental emergencies
- Keep a knocked-out tooth moist
- For cracked teeth or tooth pain, rinse with warm water to clean the area and help prevent infection
- For swelling, apply a cold compress
Be sure to contact your dentist or see a healthcare professional for your dental emergency, as each case is different and can have different outcomes and complications! Read more about these tips and tricks from the American Dental Association by clicking here.
Tips to avoid future dental emergencies
- Use a mouth guard when playing sports or other recreational activities
- Avoid chewing on ice, hard candy and other hard objects to avoid breaking, chipping or cracking a tooth
- Do not use your teeth to cut and/or open objects, use scissors!
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