Excerpted from "A Year of Health Hints"
365 Practical Ways to Feel Better and Live Longer
Any swelling, pain, or bleeding in the mouth or jaw are often
signs of serious trouble. A toothache, fractured jaw, broken or
knocked out tooth constitutes a dental emergency. You should see
a dentist as soon as possible. Follow these guidelines until you
get help.
For a toothache:
To reduce
discomfort, take aspirin or other mild pain reliever.
Never place a
crushed aspirin on the tooth. Aspirin burns the gums and destroys
tooth enamel.
See a dentist even
if the pain subsides.
For an abscess (infection with pain and swelling), take a mild
pain reliever, like regular-strength aspirin or acetaminophen,
and contact your dentist immediately so he or she can prescribe
an antibiotic for you.
For a broken, loose, or missing tooth:
To reduce
swelling, apply a cold compress to the area.
Save any broken
tooth fragments, and take them to the dentist.
If your tooth has been knocked out:
Rinse the tooth
with clear water.
If possible (and
if you're alert), gently put it back in the socket or hold it
under your tongue.
Otherwise, put the
tooth in a glass of milk.
Try to get to a
dentist within 30 minutes of the accident.
For a fractured jaw:
To secure the
jaw, close your mouth and secure the jaw with a necktie, towel,
or scarf tied around
your head and chin.
To reduce pain and
swelling, hold an ice pack against the fractured bone.
Go to a dentist or
hospital emergency room immediately.