At Gentle Smiles of Colorado, we pride ourselves on providing high quality dental care in a warm, welcoming office environment. While most of the care we provide takes the form of routine procedures like check-ups and cleanings, sometimes, emergencies do happen. Many dental emergencies can be dealt with at home, but some require a trip to the office - and when they do, we're always here to help. Furthermore, with three offices across Denver, Wheat Ridge, and Golden, Gentle Smiles of Colorado had never been closer!
Toothaches are usually little more than a minor irritation, but sometimes they can be quite painful. To help alleviate the pain, first meticulously clean around the sore tooth, then rinse your mouth with warm salt water. If it's still painful or swelling, try applying a cold compress, and if the pain continues to persist, you can take a non-aspirin pain killer like acetaminophen. If the tooth continues to ache for more than a day, be sure to call us - it could be an indicator of a more serious condition.
Teeth are great for chewing food, but sometimes those chompers accidentally chomp into more than food - and boy can it hurt! If you have any bruising, apply ice, and if there's any bleeding, apply a gentle, firm pressure with sterile gauze or a clean cloth or cotton ball. If the bleeding doesn't stop after pressure or continues for more than 15 minutes, go straight to an emergency room.
This is one of the more serious issues on this list, so you'll need to act quickly. Recover any tooth fragments you can, rinse the area with warm water, and apply a cold compress on the cheek over the injury. Call us immediately, and if necessary, head to an emergency room.
This is another more serious problem. First, recover the tooth, taking care to only hold it by the crown - not the long root. Rinse the tooth, but don't clean it, and avoid handling it more than necessary. If you can, try reinserting the tooth into the socket and holding it in pace with a piece of clean gauze or cloth, but if you can't reinsert it, carry it in a cup of milk or water. Time is of the essence here, so call us immediately - and if it's after hours, head to an emergency room right away.
This is the most serious problem on this list. Use a towel, tie, or handkerchief to tie the mouth closed, then go to an emergency room immediately. Once the doctors have seen you, call us and let us know what's happened.
This is relatively normal, so don't worry too much. Placing a folded piece of clean gauze on the bleeding socket and biting down for about 15 minutes should stop the bleeding, but if it persists, call us.
These are both common problems, so don't worry about them too much. Most drug stores have over-the-counter medications that can provide relief, but if it becomes more of a problem, feel free to call us and we'll set up an appointment to get things checked out.
Have more questions or think you need to come in for an appointment? We're always here for you. Feel free to call us at (303) 756-2770 or reach out to us at our contact page with any questions or to schedule an appointment at our Denver, Golden, or Wheat Ridge, CO locations. We can't wait to hear from you, and we hope you don't have to deal with any of the dental emergencies on this list!