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Emergency measures to adopt after a dental trauma

Dental accidents often happen at times when you least expect it. When you are in this situation, the most important thing is to react appropriately to minimize the consequences of the trauma.

Your decision to act quickly to prevent further damage will determine the future of your tooth and may even affect your life in general.

What is dental trauma?

A fall while riding a bike or a horse, a blow to the head while playing with your child, a punch, ... All these events can have consequences on your teeth. Sometimes a simple elbow blow is enough to cause a trauma that requires immediate treatment.

Between the first and second degree, cases of dental trauma are extremely frequent. In fact, every year, there are thousands of cases of dental trauma in Switzerland. Most dental injuries are related to the teeth, but there can also be injuries to the gums and palate.

First aid in case of dental trauma

In the event of a shock or dental trauma, it is important to react quickly and take appropriate measures to limit the damage:

1) Absolutely avoid any type of alcohol, tobacco or other illicit substances the night after the trauma.

2) Make an appointment with your dentist or physician as soon as possible

3) If a piece of tooth is broken, it is imperative to keep it in milk, saliva or physiological serum so that it does not dry out. It can then be glued back together.

4) Try to keep brushing your teeth and gums as much as possible. There are special, extremely gentle toothbrushes used after dental surgeries that are perfectly suitable after trauma. However, it is not necessary to use toothpaste, simply brushing with water on the brush is sufficient.

In case of impact to the jaw, it is important to make sure that the jawbone is intact and that there is no fracture. Also, it should be checked that no dislocation of the lower jaw has occurred.

What to do if a tooth is knocked out?

The first step is to protect the expelled tooth. To do this, simply do not touch it with your fingers or with a hard object. Handle it gently with a compress or a delicate cloth. Don't use cotton or tissues that could stick to the tooth. Then soak it in milk or saline.

Then, dab the area with a towel or compress to stop bleeding. Apply an ice pack or a cold compress to the area of the trauma.

This will stop the bleeding and prevent it from swelling too much. You should then let your mouth rest for at least twelve hours to allow the soft tissue and bone to recover.

dentist's waiting room

See a dentist immediately

The consultation of a dentist is essential in case of dental trauma. Indeed, the treatment of teeth weakened by a trauma must be fast to avoid the destruction of soft tissues and the appearance of infection.

Absolutely avoid smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages until you can see a dentist or oral surgeon to determine if a root canal is necessary.

What to do in case of untreated dental trauma?

If you do not receive immediate care, complications such as secondary fractures of chipped teeth, necrosis or complete loss of the tooth may occur.

In addition, the risk of developing gum disease is also higher if left untreated over time.

In all cases, the dentist will check the extent of the damage and then decide what to do.

Management of dental emergencies at the Champel Dental Center

If you have been in an accident, you should see a doctor first. Then, call us as soon as possible so we can begin working on your teeth.

We'll make sure you get the best treatment for your injury and get back to your normal daily life as soon as possible.

If any of your teeth are loose or broken, please bring them with you to your appointment after soaking them in milk, saline or saliva.

We will likely need to take x-rays and photographs to properly assess the damage and determine the type of treatment needed.

You should also quickly file an accident report with your insurance company so that it can cover the dental expenses incurred as a result of the accident without you having to pay for the treatment in advance.

At Centre Dentaire Champel, we are here to help you with your dental emergency. Our team of experts is ready to treat any problem that arises, so you can get back to enjoying your life as quickly as possible. You no longer have to endure the pain or discomfort!