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Tips and Home Remedies |
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How to care for toothaches and pain?
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First,
thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water. Use dental floss to remove
any lodged food. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the
outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller
against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue.
See your dentist as soon as possible.
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What if I have a chipped or broken teeth?
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Save
any pieces. Rinse the mouth using warm water; rinse any broken pieces. If
there's bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes
or until the bleeding stops. Apply a cold compress to the outside of the
mouth, cheek, or lip near the broken/chipped tooth to keep any swelling
down and relieve pain. See your dentist as soon as possible.
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How to save a knocked-out tooth.
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Retrieve
the tooth, hold it by the crown (the part that is usually exposed in the
mouth), and rinse off the tooth root with water if it's dirty. Do not
scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to put
the tooth back in place. Make sure it's facing the right way. Never force
it into the socket. If it's not possible to reinsert the tooth in the
socket, put the tooth in a small container of milk (or cup of water that
contains a pinch of table salt, if milk is not available) or a product
containing cell growth medium, such as Save-a-Tooth. In all cases, see
your dentist as quickly as possible. Knocked out teeth with the highest
chances of being saved are those seen by the dentist and returned to their
socket within one (1) hour of being knocked out.
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Can you save a partially dislodged tooth?
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See
your dentist right away. Until you reach your dentist's office, to relieve
pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the
affected area. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Tylenol or
Advil) if needed.
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How do I remove objects caught between
teeth? Click to open or close
detail
First,
try using dental floss to very gently and carefully remove the object. If
you can't get the object out, see your dentist. Never use a pin or other
sharp object to poke at the stuck object. These instruments can cut your
gums or scratch your tooth surface.
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Oh no, I have lost a filling, help!
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As
a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the cavity
(sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use an over-the-counter dental
cement. See your dentist as soon as possible.
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What if a crown falls off or I lose a
crown? Click to open or close
detail
If
the crown falls off, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as
possible and bring the crown with you. If you can't get to the dentist
right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a
little clove oil to the sensitive area (clove oil can be purchased at your
local drug store or in the spice aisle of your grocery store). If
possible, slip the crown back over the tooth. Before doing so, coat the
inner surface with an over-the-counter dental cement, toothpaste, or
denture adhesive, to help hold the crown in place. Do not
use super glue!
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What to do about broken braces wires?
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If
a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking your cheek,
tongue or gum, try using the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into
a more comfortable position. If you can't reposition the wire, cover the
end with orthodontic wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze until you
can get to your orthodontist's office. Never cut the wire, as you could
end up swallowing it or breathing it into your lungs.
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Help! I have loose brackets and bands.
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Temporarily
re-attach loose braces with a small piece of orthodontic wax.
Alternatively, place the wax over the braces to provide a cushion. See
your orthodontist as soon as possible. If the problem is a loose band,
save it and call your orthodontist for an appointment to have it
recemented or replaced (and to have missing spacers replaced).
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What is an abscess and what to do for the
pain? Click to open or close
detail
Abscesses
are a serious condition (infections) that can damage tissue and
surrounding teeth and gums, with the infection possibly spreading to other
parts of the body if left untreated.
See your dentist as soon as
possible if you discover a pimple-like swelling on your gum that usually
is painful. In the meantime, to ease the pain and draw the pus toward the
surface, try rinsing your mouth with a mild salt water solution (1/2
teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water) several times a day.
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What do I do for gum or tongue injuries?
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Injuries
to the soft tissues, which include the tongue, cheeks, gums and lips, can
result in bleeding. To control the bleeding, here's what to do:
*
Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution.
* Use a moistened
piece of gauze or tea bag to apply pressure to the bleeding site. Hold in
place for 15 to 20 minutes.
* To both control bleeding and relieve
pain, hold a cold compress to the outside of the mouth or cheek in the
affected area for 5 to 10 minutes.
* If the bleeding doesn't stop,
see your dentist right away or go to a hospital emergency room. Continue
to apply pressure on the bleeding site with the gauze until you can be
seen and treated.
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