Know what constitutes a dental emergency and when to see a dental professional.

When something happens to your smile, it isn’t always easy to tell whether you should come in right away for immediate dental care or whether you can wait a couple days. For a true dental emergency, you will want to see our Lawrenceville, NJ, area dentists, Dr. Scott Haimes and Dr. Allan Weisberg, immediately. Here are the dental emergencies that require professional treatment:

If you have knocked out a tooth you will want to prevent it from drying out. Handle the tooth by the crown (never the roots) and rinse it off gently with water. Then try and place it back into the socket. If this doesn’t work, then try and store it on the inside of your cheek or in a container with milk. Then immediately see one of our Lawrenceville area emergency dentists.

If you have cracked or broken a tooth you will want to clean the area by rinsing your mouth out with water. If you have any swelling, apply a cold pack on your face to reduce inflammation. If you experience pain you can try an over-the-counter medication. Of course, not all cracks are severe enough to warrant urgent dental care. Give us a call and we will be able to determine how soon you should come in.

If you have a toothache this also requires immediate attention. You wouldn’t believe how many people just ignore it hoping that it will go away, but unfortunately everything from decay to an infection can lead to dental pain. To protect the tooth from harm you will want to see our restorative dentist right away.

If you’ve bitten down on your tongue or cut your cheek or gums, rinse your mouth out gently with warm water and then apply pressure to the area using a clean gauze or washcloth to stop the bleeding. If bleeding persists for over 15 minutes or it gets worse, you may need to go to your local emergency room.

Don’t let a dental emergency ruin your smile. Turn to the experts at Haimes & Weisberg Family Dentistry in the Lawrenceville, NJ, area who are ready to give you the immediate dental care you need at a stressful time.