Urgencias Tratamiento dental

¿Es una urgencia?

Los siguientes casos no deben esperar, sea la hora que sea. Si tiene dificultad para tragar o respirar, acuda a urgencias, no a una clínica dental.

• Swelling spreading across the face, cheek or under the eye
• Toothache accompanied by fever
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Being unable to open the mouth two fingers wide
• A tooth broken or knocked out after a blow
• Bleeding from the gum or an extraction site that will not stop
• Pain that painkillers do not touch and that breaks your sleep

Hasta llegar a la clínica

Lo siguiente sirve para limitar el dolor y el daño, pero no sustituye el tratamiento.

Throbbing pain

Keeping your head raised lowers the pressure in the pulp somewhat. Do not lie on the painful side. Take painkillers as advised; placing a tablet such as aspirin directly on the gum causes a chemical burn.

Swelling

Apply cold from the outside. Heat speeds the spread. Do not try to burst or drain the swelling yourself.

A broken tooth

Keep the fragment; in some cases it can be bonded back. If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with orthodontic wax or sugar-free gum.

A lost filling or crown

The exposed tooth will be sensitive to hot and cold. Do not chew on that side. Do not try to cement the crown back yourself.

Bleeding after an extraction

Roll a clean gauze, place it over the socket and bite without letting go for thirty minutes. Do not spit, rinse or use a straw; if the clot comes away the bleeding restarts.

A cut lip, cheek or tongue

Press with a clean cloth for five minutes. If the bleeding does not stop or the cut is deep, go to an emergency department.

Preguntas frecuentes

Can I come in for toothache at night?

The clinic is open twenty-four hours every day with a dentist on site. Calling ahead means the preparation can be done while you are on your way.

I took a painkiller and it stopped. Should I still come?

Pain stopping does not mean healing. When severe toothache ends on its own it usually means the nerve has died, and the infection keeps moving quietly towards the root tip.

How should I store a knocked-out tooth?

In milk. Water damages the cells on the root surface. Hold the tooth by the crown and do not touch the root.

Is an antibiotic enough for swelling?

An antibiotic slows the spread but does not reach the infected tissue. The source has to be cleaned, otherwise it recurs.