When you experience a dental emergency, getting immediate treatment is the first critical step. However, the care you give your mouth after the treatment can be just as important for your recovery and long-term oral health.

At Skypointe Dental in Calgary NE, we understand the importance of proper aftercare following an emergency dental procedure. This guide will help you navigate the crucial steps to ensure a smooth and speedy recovery.

Immediate Steps After Common Dental Emergencies

Each type of dental emergency has specific aftercare instructions to follow. Here's what you need to know for some of the most common scenarios:

1. Tooth Extraction: After a tooth extraction, it's normal to experience some swelling and discomfort. Here’s how to manage it:

• Bite on a Gauze Pad: To control bleeding, gently bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes immediately after the procedure.
• Avoid Rinsing: For the first 24 hours, avoid rinsing your mouth, drinking through a straw, or vigorous spitting, as these actions can dislodge the blood clot that forms in the socket.
• Apply Ice: Use an ice pack on the outside of your cheek for 10-20 minutes at a time to reduce swelling.

2. Root Canal Treatment: Root canals can save your tooth, but proper aftercare is essential to ensure healing:

• Take Prescribed Medications: Follow your dentist's instructions on taking any prescribed antibiotics or painkillers.
• Eat Soft Foods: Stick to soft foods and avoid chewing on the treated side until your dentist gives the go-ahead.
• Maintain Oral Hygiene: Brush and floss regularly, but be gentle around the treated tooth to avoid irritation.

3. Dental Trauma (e.g., Chipped or Knocked-Out Teeth): If you've suffered dental trauma, here's how to protect the area and promote healing:

• Rinse Your Mouth: Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water to clean the area.
• Protect the Tooth: If a tooth has been knocked out and reinserted, avoid touching it and keep it stable. Avoid chewing with that side of your mouth.
• Cold Compress: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth to minimize swelling and discomfort.

4. Treatment of Infections: Dental infections can be serious, and following your dentist's instructions is key:

• Complete the Full Course of Antibiotics: Even if symptoms improve, finish the entire course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from returning.
• Monitor Symptoms: Watch for signs of the infection worsening, such as increased pain, swelling, or fever, and contact your dentist if these occur.

Dos and Don’ts for a Smooth Recovery

Following these general guidelines will help ensure your recovery is as smooth as possible:

Do:

• Eat Soft Foods: Foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies are gentle on your mouth and won’t irritate treated areas.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and support healing.
• Rest: Give your body time to heal by avoiding strenuous activities for the first couple of days after your procedure.

Don’t:

• Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: These can delay healing and increase the risk of complications.
• Skip Your Oral Hygiene Routine: Continue brushing and flossing, but be extra careful around the treated area. Your dentist may recommend using a mouthwash to keep the area clean.
• Consume Hard or Crunchy Foods: Foods like nuts, chips, or hard candies can irritate or damage treated areas.

When to Contact Skypointe Dental in Calgary NE

It's important to monitor your recovery and know when to seek additional help. Contact Skypointe Dental immediately if you experience any of the following:

• Excessive Bleeding: If bleeding continues after the first 24 hours or is heavy and difficult to control.
• Persistent or Severe Pain: Some discomfort is normal, but if the pain is intense and doesn’t subside with painkillers, it could be a sign of a complication.
• Signs of Infection: Increased swelling, fever, or a bad taste in your mouth could indicate an infection.
• Difficulty Breathing or Swallowing: This is rare but serious and requires immediate attention.

Proper aftercare is essential for a successful recovery following a dental emergency. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can minimize discomfort, prevent complications, and ensure your mouth heals properly.

At Skypointe Dental in Calgary NE, we are here to support you every step of the way. If you have any concerns or questions about your recovery, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Ready for a Consultation? If you've experienced a dental emergency or need advice on aftercare, call Skypointe Dental in Calgary NE today to schedule a follow-up appointment.

Your health and comfort are our top priorities, and we’re here to help you achieve a full recovery.

CALL: 403 475 1222

If a tooth is broken or cracked, see an emergency dentist immediately (within 1 hour of injury). Teeth re-implanted within one hour of the accident frequently reattach to their teeth sockets.

What do I need to do in a dental emergency?

• Be very careful handling the tooth. Only touch the crown (chewing surface) of your tooth.
• If the tooth completely came out, gently rinse it in clean water or milk and place back (re-implanted) into the socket from where it came. This can be done by the patient or parent and then checked by the dentist.
• If the tooth cannot be placed back in the socket, rinse the tooth with cold water for less than 10 seconds, and put it in milk. Do not place it in water.
• Keep gentle pressure with a gauze on the bleeding areas until the bleeding stops.
• Apply a cold pack on the cheek of the affected area to reduce swelling. An over-the-counter pain reliever can be taken as well.

Emergency dental treatment Calgary NE

Dealing with a broken tooth? Teeth that are chipped, cracked or broken can often be restored to a good appearance and function with a filling. Depending on the severity of trauma to the tooth pulp and nerves, root treatments or crowning may be required.

Surrounding teeth may also be affected, requiring a thorough exam of the whole mouth. Extraction occurs in treating more extreme cases, like split teeth. Immediate treatment by an emergency dentist is of utmost importance in successful re-implantation when a tooth has been knocked out or dislodged.

What is considered a dental emergency?

There are many situations that can be considered a dental emergency. First of all, if you’re experiencing any kind of tooth pain, this is not to be taken lightly and your body is clearly calling for your attention. These early signals should be listened to carefully before your pain intensifies into something worse.

On the flip side, life has a funny way of throwing us curveballs that can cause totally random, unexpected and dangerous dental emergencies. The following list reflects dental emergencies recognized by the Canadian Dental Association.CALL NOW

Types of dental emergencies

Toothache

Pain in or around a tooth can be indicative of many dental complications such as:

• Infection
• Decay
• Cavities
• Wisdom tooth eruption
• Gum irritation or disease
• Grinding and clenching
• Oral cancer

And many other potentially dangerous causes. Left untreated, all of the above can induce excruciating pain that can be simply unbearable and needs to be addressed ASAP for the sake of your health and wellbeing.

To tame the pain, we suggest taking an over-the-counter pain medicine like Advil and applying an ice pack to the area. Avoid placing any heat on the area. This can only make things worse for you.

Chipped or broken tooth

This is widely considered the most common and most fixable of dental emergencies. Depending on the extent of damage, you may need either:

• A white filling
• A root canal
• A dental veneer or crown

Knocked out tooth

Whether you’re an athlete, had a freak accident fall walking your dog, tripped going up or down the stairs, a tooth can be knocked right out of its socket from a rough blow to the face.

If this happens to an adult tooth, act FAST. You can:

• Try to place it back into its socket — only if possible and if the tooth looks clean. Do not force it in and do not risk swallowing it.
• Place in cold milk and see your dentist immediately.
• Then head to your emergency dentist as quickly as possible.

Badly bitten lip or tongue

Have you ever dived into the shallow part of a pool by accident? That is the kind of scenario where something like this could happen. If bleeding occurs, compress a clean cloth on top of the source of the blood and use ice to help minimize the swelling. Call your emergency dentist right away.

Severe lodging between teeth

We’ve all had the shock of discovering a giant piece of lettuce or some kind of food taking up real estate in our smile for a whole afternoon and for the world to see. Sometimes, this can be far more serious, stressful and painful.

If you have something wedged too tightly in between or in one of your teeth, it needs to be dealt with. Do NOT try to scratch or poke it out with anything sharp and invasive. This could cause even more damage to your teeth and gums.

Lost filling

Teeth grinding, eating really hard foods or a total fluke can lead to a filling falling out. Make sure to get this taken care of right away as an infection can develop. The CDA suggests putting sugarless gum in the space where the filling was to protect your tooth on the way to your emergency appointment.

How do I know if my toothache is serious?

​Toothache symptoms may include:

• Sharp, throbbing, or constant pain
• Pain when pressure is applied to the tooth
• Swelling around the tooth
• Fever or headache
• Sinus pressure
• Earaches and neck pain
• Foul-tasting seepage from the infected tooth

In some of these cases, a toothache is a dental emergency. A dental infection can become dangerous if left untreated due to bacteria from the infection spread to other parts of the face, the skull, and eventually the bloodstream.

If your pain lasts for 1-2 days, causes severe pain, or is accompanied by an earache, fever, or pain when opening your mouth wide, see us as soon as possible.

What is the main cause of a toothache?

Causes of toothaches come from a variety of factors, including cracked or broken teeth, cavities, gum disease, exposed roots, sinus problems and jaw joint disease. The most plausible reasons are neglect of the teeth, bad eating, and drinking habits.

No matter the cause, we hold no judgment. We will be prompt in helping you feel comfortable again and getting your oral health back on track.

Treatment for a broken tooth in Calgary NE

Some teeth chips and cracks might only need fillings function normally again. More serious teeth injuries, like fractures and splitting, may need root canals.

Teeth that are cracked all the way to the root may need both a root canal and a crown to restore function.

Can you use superglue on your teeth?

When a tooth breaks, whether it’s a natural tooth, a dental implant or on dentures, people will often try to fix the problem on their own. Especially if they’re not experiencing any pain.
One of the most common products used to try and fix a broken tooth (or re-cement a crown that’s come off) is superglue. Never use superglue in a dental emergency because:

It can cause more damage

Superglue is not made to adhere to living tissues whereas dental cement is. Placing glue on a tooth will basically suffocate it, cutting off nerve, blood, and nutrient supply to the tooth. This can cause the nerve will die, requiring root canal treatment or extraction.

It’s not a medical-grade material

Non-medical grade materials aren’t sterile, which means you can introduce bacteria into the tooth. The bacteria will attack the tooth and the nerve, leading to a dental infection – another issue that can lead to either root canal treatment or an extraction.

Always contact your emergency dentist for support and guidance on how to properly help fix and heal damaged teeth.

How to care for oral infections, swelling, and bleeding gums?

As with all infections, an oral infection should be treated as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of complications. Salt water mouth rinses can ease the pain while waiting to see the dentist.

We will pinpoint the cause of the infection and treat accordingly, bringing back desired comfort and health.

Preventing dental infections

To help prevent infections from occurring in your mouth, we recommend regular twice-a-year visits for up-to-date exams, dental cleanings, and x-rays. A good oral hygiene habit is the first primary and essential step in preventing infections.

When children are taught from early on to create these habits, it helps them keep healthy mouths and teeth.

• Brush teeth thoroughly at least twice a day or after meals
• Floss teeth at least once a day
• Don’t over brush
• Don’t use teeth to open packaging or break a string, for example, to avoid teeth cracks, chips, or breaks
• Have dental cleanings and checkups at least twice a year
• Watch for any signs of infection after receiving dental work

Do you need an emergency dentist in Calgary NE?

We understand that dental and oral health affect a person’s overall wellbeing. As an emergency dental clinic, we ensure that our patients are comfortable and calm. With multiple sedation options available, we can ease the pain and traumatic experience while fixing the tooth.