When you face dental trauma, you may go into shock to some extent. Trying to think while going through pain or while bleeding can be difficult. However, if you take a moment to calm down, you can help yourself and your situation immensely.
Start off by stopping the bleeding, if there is any, with a clean cloth or bit of gauze. From there, it is time to reduce the swelling. That way, you can determine what happened, and what you need to do next.
Getting the Swelling Down After Any Type of Dental Trauma
The first thing you want to do after any bleeding is stopped is to help keep the swelling down. If the trauma was minor, take an over the counter anti-inflammatory. One of the most common is ibuprofen.
hen, you want to apply something cool to the area. Avoid anything that is ice cold, as that can cause nerve damage. If you do not have anything cool, rinse with cool water and spit the water out so you do not swallow any residual blood. This will help take some of the swelling down.
Once the swelling is controlled, look at the area that was injured. If it is an open cut or gash, come in and let us decide if it needs stitches. For a knocked-out tooth, bring the tooth in so we can try and replace it. Keep it safe in a glass of milk while bringing it in. If something feels out of place, then come in to be on the safe side.
An oral trauma could be the result of a simple bump, or a major accident. You need to use your best judgment to determine if you should come in and be seen, or if it can heal up on its own. When in doubt, call us and let us decide.
