When you have a dental emergency, you certainly will want a same-day dentist appointment. A skilled emergency dentist will take care of your problem with speed and skill. However, what do you do next? In many cases, patients will need to take extra steps once they leave the office. Below, we cover some key aspects of post-emergency dental care.
Post-Emergency Dental Care
Below, we go through some of the most common emergency dental treatments and what to do afterward. These post-treatment steps can range from letting the anesthetic wear off to more active involvement.
Dental Filling Repair
Losing a dental filling might not feel like an emergency. However, it certainly can still count as one. When a filling comes out, it exposes the inner part of the tooth. Bacteria will gladly take the chance to get into that new opening and start the process of tooth decay.
The good news is that repairing a lost or damaged dental filling is quick and convenient. The post-treatment period will look nearly identical to your original filling experience. The only steps you need to take include taking care until the anesthetic wears off.
For most patients, local oral anesthetic takes about 1 to 4 hours to wear off. During this period, patients have a hard time chewing normally, which can lead to biting your tongue or cheek on accident. The safest thing to do to avoid this is to avoid eating until you no longer feel numb. If you do start feeling your stomach growl, opt for more liquid foods.
Emergency Root Canal
Dental abscesses and infections can require emergency care. If you wait too long before treatment, the tooth could die. Once you do have your emergency root canal treatment, the post-care period involves the same steps as a routine root canal.
Since a root canal involves more work than a filling, you will need to take a few extra steps. These include:
- Stick with soft foods for a few days. If you do have more solid foods, avoid biting down on the treated tooth.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers to help with soreness.
- If you have swelling, a cold compress can help alleviate it. You do not need anything fancy. Even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel can do the job. Be careful not to over-chill your cheek. Stick to 10 to 15-minute increments.
- Try a warm saltwater rinse to three times a day.
- Avoid smoking, which can irritate the treatment sites.
- Attend your follow-up appointment if you need a dental crown placed.
Emergency Tooth Extraction
A tooth beyond saving needs to be removed. Most of the post-extraction steps will be similar to what you do after a root canal. But post-extraction care also involves a few vital extra things to keep in mind. These all include:
- Saltwater rinses with warm but not hot water
- Cold compresses
- Only liquid and soft foods for several days (there should be absolutely no chewing where the tooth was pulled)
- No smoking, which slows healing and puts the site at risk
- Avoid straws and spitting, which create suction in your mouth
- Keep physical activity to a minimum
- Pain medication as needed
- Keep your head elevated
Knocked-Out Tooth Restoration
Whether from a fight, an accident, or anything in between, adult teeth do fall out. Many patients express surprise when we tell them that we can put that tooth back. However, this works only under certain circumstances. Additionally, following post-restoration instructions remains a key part of keeping that tooth in good shape.
By this point, you will be familiar with most of these.
- Only have soft food (and liquids) in your diet for at least 2 weeks.
- Avoid overly hot or cold foods during this time, as extreme temperatures can interfere with the healing process.
- Avoid contact sports or any activities in which a body part or object might make sudden contact with your face.
- Rinse with saltwater or chlorhexidine as instructed (sometimes both at different times)
- Take pain relievers
- Brush gently after each meal
Work With a Trusted Dentist for Your Emergencies
With dental emergencies, you want to have an experienced dentist on speed dial. TruGlo Modern Dental offers a full suite of treatments from a leading dental expert with an all-star team.