Suffering with toothache?

First, thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove any lodged food.If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. See your dentist as soon as possible.

Retrieve the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the mouth) and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the right way. Never force it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert the tooth in the socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available) or a product containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth.

Knocked out teeth with the highest chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out.

First, try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If you can't get the object out, see your dentist. Never use a pin or other sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your gums or scratch your tooth surface.

If a wire breaks, cover the end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you can get to the Practice. Never cut the wire, as you could end up swallowing it or breathing it into your lungs.

If a bracket comes away from your tooth during treatment, please contact the practice. Usually, the bracket will stay attached to the wire and can be left until your next appointment unless causing irritation. If the bracket does come away from the wire please keep it safe and bring it with you to your next appointment.

Injuries to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums, and lips, can result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here's what to do: 

• Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
• Use a moistened piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
• To both control bleeding and relieve pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
• If the bleeding doesn't stop, contact us right away or go to a hospital emergency department.
  
• Continue to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be seen and treated.