Now that we’re well into the spring season, you and your family are probably spending a lot more time enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Your kids are probably involved in some kind of organized outdoor activities. Or maybe you’re spending more time exercising or playing with your kids at the local park.
It’s a fun time of year! But you’ve heard it before: “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” We’re parents, too, and like you, we know just how quickly all that running around and playful roughhousing can quickly take a turn. You trip and fall during your morning run and are unable to catch yourself before your face hits the concrete trail. You’re watching your son’s soccer game when suddenly, your little superstar takes a soccer ball to the face.
When accidents happen, you’re at least prepared to handle general first aid, and going to your nearest emergency room is a no brainer. But when accidents involve some kind of facial or oral injury, knowing what to do can be a bit trickier. While a trip to the ER is better than no medical assistance at all, there are times when you need a more specialized kind of care.
This is especially true when it comes to a knocked out or damaged tooth. Proper care is not always the easiest thing to find in a dental emergency. That’s why at Mountain View Dental in Acworth, GA, we are committed to helping you and your family in the event of a dental emergency.
Create A Plan
Dr. Reese and Dr. Smith want to make sure you receive the dental care you need as soon as possible. Today’s blog is about how to prepare yourself for a dental emergency. No matter how careful you are, you can’t prevent every accident or injury. It’s best to be proactive so that when minutes matter, you have a plan in place to protect yourself and the people in your life who matter most.
Save Our Contact Number!
In any emergency, your first line of defense in keeping the situation under control is to remain calm. Taking steps now can help you do that later when and if you need to. You’ll have peace of mind if you’ve already thought about what to do and can better manage the situation with a cool head.
We recommend that you store our contact number in your phone. The last thing you should have to worry about when you or someone in your family faces a dental emergency is searching for the nearest emergency dentist. You can save Mountain View Dental in your contact list and call us at (770) 429-8989. If you think it will make things even easier for you, store our number under a nickname that’s easy to remember. Something like “ER Dentist” or just “Dentist” may help simplify your contact search when the time comes.
Our experienced team of professionals have seen just about everything, so we will do all we can to help you as soon as possible. We can give you advice on immediate action you can take while you’re on the phone with us, and ideally, we will work you in so we can see you right away. If your dental emergency happens after business hours, you can still leave a voicemail message, and someone will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
A Dental Emergency Kit For Your Family!
You probably already keep a general first aid kit somewhere in your home or car. We think it’s a good idea to have something similar on hand specifically equipped for dental emergencies. While tooth replacement options have come a long way in recent years, saving your natural teeth is ideal. A dental emergency kit can really make a difference in the event that you or your child has suffered an injury involving a knocked out or broken tooth.
Every family’s kit will look a little different, but here are some of the more common items we recommend that you include in yours:
-Toothbrush / Dental floss
-Cotton swabs / sterile pads
-Disposable gloves
-Saline solution
-An OTC pain reliever (one for adults/one for children)
-Dental mirror or tongue depressor
-Tongue depressor / dental mirror
-Flashlight
Sometimes it’s hard to know for sure what exactly qualifies as a dental emergency, but some of the most common injuries we see involve:
-a knocked out tooth
-a dislodged, chipped, or broken tooth
-a filling, crown, or any other type of dental restoration that’s come loose or fallen out
-a toothache or any pain involving the mouth or jaw area
Even if it’s not on this list, keep in mind that anything that involves bleeding or pain should be considered an emergency. You also don’t have to be dealing with an actual injury for it to be considered a dental emergency. If you’re eating dinner and experience sudden pain when you bite down, for example, you should try to get it looked at as soon as you can.
When you need help fast, give us a call at (770) 429-8989. For any non-emergency appointments, you can always fill out our convenient online form.