Dental Emergencies during Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the East Coast and most business are closed. Government officials caution us to stay home where it's safe. We hope you won't have a dental emergency during this super-storm, but here is some good advice just in case.

What to do in a dental emergency when you can't get to a dentist:

TOOTHACE
Take two aspirin or acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Ibufrofen (Advil) may be the best choice since it relieves inflammation as well. However, do not place an aspirin next to a tooth. You may have heard of this "remedy", but it actually does more harm than good. Placing an aspirin directly on your gum causes an ulceration of the tissue, commonly referred to as an aspirin burn.

Here are some home remedies that might help:

• Apply oil of cloves. Follow the directions for use carefully and be sure to put it only on the tooth and not on the gum.
• Cool the swelling: Place a cold compress on the outside of your cheek if there is swelling from your toothache. You can also try holding an ice cube or cold water in your mouth if your teeth are not sensitive to cold.
• Elevating your head can decrease the pressure in the area and lessen the throbbing.
• Rinsing with warm water can remove food debris which could be aggravating the area. Stir in one teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, swish it around and then spit it out. You can also try flossing away food debris.
• Avoid eating or drinking anything hot, cold or sweet because it might make matter worse if you have sensitivity.
• If the tooth feels sensitive to air, place a piece of gauze or even a bit of chewed sugarless chewing gum to plug up the area until you can get to the dentist.

BITTEN LIP OR TONGUE
Cleanse the area gently with a cloth and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If the bleeding doesn't top, go to a hospital emergency room.

BROKEN TOOTH
Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses to keep swelling down.

CRACKED TOOTH
Avoid chewing on that side and get to a dentist as soon as you can.

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 your dentist.

With any dental emergency, make sure you make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible, even if pain subsides.

Our sincere best wishes to you all as we ride out this storm.

The staff at Scarsdale Dental Spa