Prevention and treatment of dental injuries in Bloomington, IL

In an ideal world, injuries would not happen. Unfortunately, they do happen and usually at the worst possible time. That is why we make every effort to see emergencies ASAP here at Eastland Dental Center in Bloomington, IL. You are always our top priority; we are dedicated to protecting your oral health, and easing your pain in any situation. Here are a few tips for preventing dental injuries, or minimizing the pain and damage if they do occur.

Prevention

It has long been said that prevention is the best medicine. Although injuries can always happen in unexpected ways, some of the more common are preventable. One of the most important steps you can take is wearing a mouth guard while playing contact sports or engaging in injury-prone activity. To be effective, your mouth guard needs to fit well. If you do not have a suitable appliance, talk to your dentist.

Sometimes injury can occur during the most mundane of actives. Biting down on something that is too hard can fracture or even break a tooth. Opening bottles with your teeth, or holding objects between your teeth should be avoided. Chewing ice is a common, but destructive, habit – especially in hot weather. In addition to being hard, ice causes sudden temperature changes that make your teeth especially vulnerable to fracturing. Hard foods, such as some candy, should also be avoided or eaten carefully.

First aid

The most important thing you can do in case of dental injury is call Eastland Dental Center. What else should you do?

• Save any teeth, parts of teeth, or restorations that you have lost and bring them to the office with you.
• Gently rinse your mouth with a tepid saline solution. If you don’t have a pre-mixed formula on hand, you can use approximately one half teaspoon of table salt mixed with a cup of warm water.
• If a tooth has been knocked out rinse it off very gently, being careful not to dislodge any attached tissue. Try to place it back in the socket, but don’t use force. Alternately, keep the tooth in a clean container of milk or Save-a-Tooth formula. Call Eastland Dental Center immediately.
• Use clean gauze to apply gentle pressure if there is bleeding.
• Over the counter pain relievers can make you more comfortable and reduce swelling. Be sure to take them as directed. Do not hold the pill against your gum, as that can burn the sensitive tissue. Avoid aspirin based products, as they can increase bleeding.

Most importantly, make sure that your dental first aid kit contains our phone number. In case of dental injury, or any other kind of dental emergency, call (309) 663-4711 for trusted dentistry. We are here when you need us.