If you’ve ever had a chipped or broken tooth, quick action is essential. Knowing what to do in the event of a dental emergency (and getting to our Somerville dentists as quickly as possible) can help reduce the amount of treatment that you need and save your tooth.

Step 1: Stay Calm and Stop Any Bleeding

Dental injuries can be scary because of the amount of blood involved. Your mouth is full of blood vessels, which means even the smallest injury can be quite evident.

Use a clean gauze, tissue, or wash cloth to apply firm pressure to the area to get any bleeding under control.

Step 2: Locate and Store the Tooth

If possible, try to locate the broken tooth fragment. If it’s a full tooth, do not handle it by the root; only touch the crown. Touching the root can damage the small fibres that are essential for re-implantation.

Tooth fragments may be possible to bond back into place, depending on their size.

To prevent the tooth from drying out, put the broken piece in a sealed container and completely submerge it in contact solution, saline, or milk. Saliva can also be used. If you’re in a bind, tap water with a pinch of salt is also acceptable.

Step 3: See Our Somerville Emergency Dentist

For best results, you need to see our Somerville dentist within the first hour of breaking your tooth. Studies show that seeing a dentist within 1-2 hours of a dental emergency is crucial to the successful outcome of repairing broken or knocked out teeth.

If your family lives in Somerville and needs urgent dental care, we encourage you to visit the caring team at Somersmiles Dental. Contact us today for fast pain relief (even if you’re a new patient!)