I have always been an avid hockey player, and my love took a bad turn one day when I got struck in the mouth with the puck. It was a painful moment that left me with two teeth knocked out of my mouth. Had I taken the right steps after the accident, I could have possibly saved the teeth, but I did not know I had that option at the time. Thankfully, I worked up the courage to visit a dentist and ask what my options for teeth-replacement were. I was worried I would would have to live the rest of my life without smiling, but I was ecstatic to learn that I was the perfect candidate for dental implants. I created this blog to help others realize that there are so many options to replace missing teeth today that no one has to "just live with" an imperfect smile!
Tooth pain from a broken tooth or onset of a tooth abscess never comes at a convenient time, and requires you to take action as soon as possible so you can relieve the pain and get back to your normal life. Here are some tips and steps to help you get through this process to fix your tooth with the least frustration and discomfort.
Check Your Insurance
When you have tooth pain, one of the first things you will want to do is to check your dental benefits that you have through a private insurance plan or with your employer. The type of dental insurance you have can definitely help with having to get emergency dental work completed. Your insurance may cover a certain percentage of emergency dental work, or you might have a certain dollar amount deductible to pay.
If you don't have insurance, you may need to pay for the services at the time of your visit, so you can use a credit card to pay, which most dental professionals accept. Your dentist also may offer you to pay on a payment plan to pay over time. Talk to your dentist to find out your payment options.
Find an Available Dentist
You will first want to call your family dentist who has been treating your oral health, as they will have a record of your teeth and know any health conditions you already have. This makes the process more simple by going to a dental professional you already see regularly. Let them know your situation and request a treatment in their soonest available time. They can usually work you in especially if it is an emergency. If it is after hours, leave them a voicemail with your situation, and wait for someone to call you back.
But if your dentist is not available, you don't need to go without treatment. Look online and ask around with friends and acquaintances on social media for a recommendation of a good dentist who provides emergency services and give them a call.
Use At-Home Pain Management
Once you have made an appointment to treat your dental pain, you can use some easy at-home treatments with items you may already have at home to ease the pain. Take some over-the-counter pain reliever and look for some salt and a glass. Mix up some salt water rinse with warm water and approximately one teaspoon of salt and swish it around inside your mouth. The salt water can relieve pain, reduce inflammation and remove any bacteria from around the painful tooth. You can also chew on a garlic clove and press it onto the painful site, or rub clove oil onto the site to relieve pain.
Contact a dentist, like Mark A. Massa, DDS, Inc, for more help.
Share30 November 2018
