Quiz: How Do I Address a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency involves injury or discomfort related to the oral cavity. What steps should you take when you’re faced with an emergency situation involving you or a family member? With today’s quiz, we look at a few methods of addressing common emergency situations.

Dental Emergency Quiz

1. True or False: You don’t need to contact the dentist right away.
2. True or False: If an issue is life threatening you should call 911 or visit the emergency room.
3. True or False: If you lose a tooth, bring it with you to the office.
4. True or False: A sudden toothache may require immediate attention.

Answer Key

1. False. When you injure a tooth or experience sudden discomfort, contact the office right away. Even if you aren’t a current patient, we will see you as soon as possible. We can also schedule an appointment if your injury occurs outside of normal business hours. You should contact the office right away before the problem can progress or further jeopardize your oral health.
2. True. Any problem that could be considered life threatening should involve a call to 911 or a visit to the emergency room. Otherwise, contact our office right away.
3. True. If a tooth becomes knocked-out, you should call our office immediately. Then, you should take steps to protect the tooth. First, pick it up by the crown (never the root) and rinse away any foreign debris. Try to place the tooth back into the socket and hold it in place by gently biting down. If this can’t be accomplished, simply place the tooth in a glass of milk or salt water and bring it with you.
4. True. A toothache can often be a warning sign of a serious issue. If gently flossing on either side of the tooth fails to dislodge an object or ease discomfort, then contact our office right away.

About Your Astoria Dentist

Our Astoria, NY dentist office accepts most major insurance plans. To find out if we accept yours, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, contact us at (718) 728-8328. We welcome patients living in and around Queens, Astoria, NYC, upstate New York, and New Jersey.