Last night there was a power outage in the area and the lights went out. Thank goodness we were releasing our last patient and everyone was safe.

It made me realize that emergencies can happen in so many situations. When they happen to you, what do you do?

Here are a few tips on how to happen a dental emergency.

Toothache - A toothache isn’t so much an emergency although they can be quite painful. If it’s severe (a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10), see a dentist immediately!

Abscess - This is a different story. Many people don’t take their dental health seriously, but an abscess can be life threatening. An abscess is an infection - a pool of pus - that has built up somewhere. It’s not wise to self-medicate with old antibiotics you have around the house. Get to the dentist or urgent care quickly!

Lost Crown or Filling - Like a minor toothache, this isn’t a life or death emergency even though a missing crown on a front tooth can be quite unsightly! If you can’t get to the dentist right away, go to a drugstore and purchase temporary adhesive. Whatever you do, don’t use superglue! (Ask me how many times I see this!!)

Cracked Tooth - Now this can be painful! Rinse with warm water to clean it and place a cold compress on the area to reduce the swelling.

Knocked Out Tooth - ACT FAST! Do your best not to handle the tooth too much. It needs to stay as clean and free from contamination as possible. Keep it moist by placing it in some milk. You can also put it in your mouth or if place it back in place if possible. It’s important that you get to the dentist IMMEDIATELY!!

Some accidents can’t be avoided, but many can. A few easy ways to reduce your chances of these things happening to you are to wear a mouthguard. Also stop crunching ice, eating popcorn or hard candy!

CLICK HERE to watch Miss Doctor Lady’s Tips For Your Teeth for more!