A Dental Emergency

At Dentistry at Vitality Health, we can often accommodate emergencies the same day they occur.  In the event of a daytime emergency, call us at 905-479-7777. In the event of an after-hours emergency, call our office and dial "3". This line will give you instructions on how to reach Dr. Singh or an associate.

DENTAL EMERGENCY TIPS:

Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving a tooth or losing it!

Bitten Lip or Tongue:
Clean the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce any swelling and bleeding. If the bleeding doesn't stop, call us at 905-479-7777

Broken Tooth:
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the area to keep any swelling down. Call us immediately 905-479-7777

Jaw - Possible Fracture:
Apply cold compresses to control the swelling. Call us at 905-479-7777 or go to your local hospital emergency department immediately.

Tooth Knocked Out: Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If the tooth is clean and you are able to, gently insert the tooth back into its socket and hold it firmly in place.  If that isn't possible, put the tooth into a cup of milk or saline (contact-lens solution works well) and get to our office as quickly as possible. Remember to bring the tooth with you!

Objects Caught Between Teeth:
Try to gently remove the object with dental floss; avoid cutting the gums. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can't dislodge the object using dental floss, contact us immediately at 905-479-7777

Toothache:
Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to ensure that there is no food or other debris caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. (Please see the link under "My Needs" - "In Pain" on this site)  If the pain persists, contact us at 905-479-7777

TIPS FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN EXPERIENCING A DENTAL EMERGENCY

For a parent, seeing a child lose a tooth in an accident can be a traumatic experience. Such injuries are often bloody and can be emotionally traumatic for the child and parent, alike. Knowing how to prevent dental injuries and what to do in case an accident occurs can save your child’s teeth.

All teeth, even baby teeth, are important. Many parents are under the false impression that baby teeth are less important because they will eventually be replaced. This is definitely not true. Baby teeth serve several important functions including, acting as spacers (creating enough room in the jaw so that permanent teeth can come in properly), aiding in proper speech, and serving to help build self-esteem in the newly independent child.

What do you do in case of an emergency?

One of the most important things you can do as a parent to protect these precious baby teeth is to make sure that you are prepared before an accident ever occurs!  Consider a mouthguard for you or your child to prevent injuries while participating in sports of any kind.

The most common dental emergencies are teeth that have been knocked out due to trauma and teeth that have been chipped as a result of an accident. In either case, it is important to know what to do. Time is of the utmost importance when a tooth is knocked out. If the tooth is re-implanted within one hour of it being evulsed its chances of survival are good.

If your child’s tooth is knocked out:
Carefully rinse the tooth in water. Make sure that you do not touch the root of the tooth with your hands. The root is the portion of the tooth embedded in the socket and not normally seen. Place it in a glass containing either saline or milk.  See us immediately!

If your child’s tooth is chipped:
Check to see if your child is experiencing pain, sensitivity or looseness (mobility) in the tooth.  If so, call us and seek dental treatment immediately at 905-479-7777

With chipped teeth there are more possibilities to consider. If your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity in the affected tooth, see us immediately as this indicates the tooth nerve may be injured. The dentist may have to perform a root canal or other necessary procedure to save the tooth. If the tooth is mobile, it may need to be splinted. Restoring the tooth can involve the use of bonded composite resin, or bonded porcelain veneers or crowns. If your child is not experiencing pain or sensitivity, contact us to see whether or not your child should be seen. This may or may not require immediate attention.  Feel confident that we will schedule your child for the appropriate treatment.

Preventing Dental Injuries:
The best way to prevent a dental emergency is to properly protect your child. Once only used in football and ice hockey, mouth guards are now recommended and available for almost all sports including rollerblading, basketball, and soccer. Most mouth guards are made of plastic and cover the upper teeth. Not only do mouth guards protect teeth but they also protect lips, gums, and cheeks.

There are typically two types of mouthguards:

Semi-formable mouth guards are available in sporting goods and drug stores. These mouth guards can be heated in boiling water to allow them to be molded to fit the teeth. They are cheaper than custom-made mouth guards but do not fit your teeth as accurately.

Custom made mouth guards are made by a dentist. We create a mould of your child's teeth, which is then used to create your custom mouth guard. Consequently, these mouth guards fit more precisely against your teeth affording the best possible protection and comfort.

Common situations that cause dental injuries:

Trips and Falls - Falling into furniture and down stairs often causes dental injury. This is most likely to occur when children are first learning to stand using furniture to maintain their balance.

Children who are just learning to walk also have a tendency to fall down - Often children fall onto household furniture or other items. If you have an infant, make sure to child-proof your home before they become mobile, usually around 12 - 16 months.

Water Fountains - Often kids injure teeth by banging them into the spout of water fountains as they drink. Sometimes kids behind them accidentally (or purposely) bump into them causing them to injure their teeth.

Forks and Spoons - Believe it or not, some injuries are self-inflicted when people, not paying attention, crack or chip their teeth with spoons or forks as they eat.

Bottle Caps - Tell your child to never attempt to open a bottle cap by using their teeth.