What are Dental Emergencies?
A dental emergency is any condition that you, our patients, are concerned about. While these generally involve chipped or damaged teeth, they can also involve unusual pain or an abscess. All of these are serious medical conditions and Dr. Krusich would like you to call our Overland Park office immediately at 913-383-2600 for your dental emergency.
Outside of our normal office hours (Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.), please leave an emergency message with our answering service. Dr. Krusich will be contacted and return your call. Together on the phone, you and Dr. Krusich will determine the appropriate action.
Common dental emergencies and what to do
Here are some common dental emergencies and what to do about them.
Knocked out tooth
- Locate the tooth.
- Pick up the tooth by the crown (the visible part in the mouth.)
- Avoid touching the root of the tooth. If the root is dirty, rinse gently under cold running water for 10 secs.
- If possible, place the tooth back in the tooth socket. Otherwise, place the tooth in milk. If none are available you can place the tooth in your mouth between your cheek and molars but be careful not to swallow it. If the patient is very young this is not advisable because they could swallow the tooth. In this circumstance have the child spit in a cup and place the tooth in the cup. Avoid placing the tooth in water if possible.
- Call Dr. Krusich at 913-383-2600 as soon as possible.
Chipped tooth
- Locate the broken part of the tooth.
- Call Dr. Krusich at 913-383-2600 as soon as possible.
- If the fragment is large enough and intact it can be reattached with bonding procedures in our office.
- If we are unable to reattach it we can assist you with options to restore your smile.
Tooth Ache
- Rinse mouth with warm water.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication like Tylenol or Advil.
- Pay attention to all symptoms and things that trigger pain.
- Monitor pain and call Dr. Krusich at 913-383-2600 if necessary.
Stuck food or foreign objects
- Try loosening and/or removing stuck elements by gently flossing.
- Never use sharp instruments to try to physically remove objects yourself.
- Call Dr. Krusich at 913-383-2600 to schedule an appointment.
