What constitutes a dental emergency?

Emergency dentistry can cover a wide range of situations, and includes emergency dental treatment of both adults and children.  Some comon dental emergencies can include a broken crown, lost filling, broken tooth or cracked tooth, sudden tooth pain or ongoing toothache, a lost or knocked out tooth, or even soft tissue injuries of the mouth such as a badly bitten tongue or cheek.

 

Generally, Dr. Kotre will see dental emergencies at her Ann Arbor dental practice on the same day an emergency dental appointment is requested. If you find that you must deal with a dental emergency, there are some things you can to to help yourself or your family member between the time of the accident or start of the pain and when Dr. Kotre can see you. 

 

• Clove oil is an excellent, natural, and safe anesthetic. Simply dip a cotton pad in the clove oil and press on the affected area, wherever there is pain. Be sure that your toothache isn’t being caused by debris between the teeth — make sure to brush and floss carefully to see if that alleviates any of your discomfort.

• If your emergency concerns braces, be sure to tuck loose wires away from your lips and gums to avoid cuts and other abrasions. You can also cover sharp ends with orthodontic wax and/or gauze.

• A knocked-out tooth can be preserved easily in either a cup of saline or milk. Be sure to bring the tooth with you to your emergency appointment.

• If you have broken a tooth, immediately rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the affected area. You can then use cold compresses to keep swelling down as necessary.

• Bitten tongue or lips, if minor, can be cared for at home as long as the bleeding stops. If the bleeding does not stop, go to the emergency room immediately.

• Broken/fractured jaws require the immediate attention of either Dr. Kotre or your local emergency room. Cold compresses can keep the swelling down before medical attention is given.

 

All of the above issues DO require immediate professional attention.

 

If you find you need to see Dr. Kotre for any dental emergency, please give us a call at 734-677-2156 and be sure to leave us the best time to call back so we may reach you quickly. Sherry, our office manager, is in the office as early at 6 a.m. certain days, and although we would like to get you in as soon as we can, we also don’t want to wake up your house with a call that’s too early.

 

On days we are not in the office, including the weekends, please call the office at the above number. Dr. Kotre’s cell phone is available on our outgoing voicemail message, and she will always assist to her patients of record 24/7. If for some reason Dr. Kotre is not available, an alternate number will be available on our voicemail for the dentist covering for her during her absence.