What to Do for Dental Emergencies While on Vacation

Nothing puts a damper on a fun trip like dental troubles. Dental emergencies are painful, but with emergency dentistry available from practices like Dentist of Torrance in the Southern California area, it is possible to get fast and effective treatment for urgent dental issues wherever your travels take you.

It’s beneficial to learn how best to handle these emergencies before they happen and learn what you can do to prevent them. That way, the next time you're faced with a broken crown, chipped tooth, or other oral injury on the road, you'll know how to manage it quickly and calmly.

What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

While it’s important to address any dental issue promptly, not all situations are regarded as an emergency requiring immediate care. However, any of the following concerns would be considered a dental emergency:

Broken or chipped teeth

Teeth can be damaged in a variety of situations while away from home, from cracking a molar on a hard food to chipping an incisor in a collision during a sports tournament. Getting to a dentist quickly gives you the greatest likelihood of repairing the broken piece.

Lost tooth

Having a tooth knocked loose can be painful and alarming, but there’s no need to panic. Retrieve the tooth and visit an emergency dentist for the best chance at saving your original tooth.

Foreign object

If you have a foreign object stuck between your teeth that cannot be removed gently with floss, get to an emergency dentist, and don't try to use any other means of extracting it yourself. You may cause damage to the teeth or gums.

Any oral pain that is debilitating

This includes severe pain in the gums as well as the teeth.

Any situation with a high risk of infection

This includes any open wounds in the mouth where bacteria might get in and cause harm. Visit an emergency dentist for soft tissue injuries that won’t stop bleeding.

These emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, including when you're away from home and your regular dentist. When you need treatment right away, it’s time for an emergency dentist.

What Should I Do if I Have a Dental Emergency While on Vacation?

If you are faced with a dental emergency while you are away from home, you will need to use first aid and seek out immediate care from a local dentist. Give our office a call and we may be able to recommend someone in your area.

First Aid for Dental Emergencies

The first step in a dental emergency is applying basic first aid, including icing any painful areas with a cold compress against the cheek and applying compression with sterile gauze to stop any bleeding. If you’ve lost, chipped, or broken a tooth, you should secure the tooth or pieces, because it may be possible to save the tooth or repair damage if you act quickly.

Searching for Emergency Dental Care

Next, run a web search for emergency dentists in your location; a dentist offering emergency services will most likely say so explicitly on their website. They will be able to treat you the day you call and will see you immediately if there is a possibility of saving a knocked-out tooth.

Even if there is no emergency dentist listed near you, it’s always worth calling other local dental practices, too. While they may not specifically offer emergency dentistry, they could have same-day availability for your urgent situation

Check with your current dentist to get any interim instructions, like ways to safely manage your pain while you’re on your way or tips for preserving a lost tooth.

What Should I Do to Take Care of My Teeth While I Wait to See the Emergency Dentist?

While an emergency dentist will see you as soon as possible that day, you will still have to drive to them and possibly wait in their lobby before you’re treated. However, there are often steps you can take to mitigate pain and protect your teeth in the meantime.

Remember, you should follow any instructions the dentist's office has given you; take their suggestions for your specific situation before following any guidance you read elsewhere. Some over-the-counter dental first aid includes:

• Clove oil: Oil of clove can be applied to a tooth that has lost a crown to ease pain.
• Dental cement or toothpaste: If a crown has come free, these temporary adhesives can be used to hold it in place over the tooth while you wait to see a dentist.
• Sugar-free gum: You can use sugar-free gum to temporarily seal a missing filling.
• Warm water: Rinsing with warm water can ease pain if you have a sore tooth or gums or have broken or chipped a tooth.
• Milk: If you’ve lost a tooth, place it in milk to help preserve it on the way to the dentist. If milk is unavailable, water with a pinch of salt also works.

What if No Dentists Nearby Have Emergency Availability?

If no local dentists are available immediately, call your own dentist at home for their recommended course of action. You can set up an appointment with them for when you return or get their opinion on whether to keep searching for care near you, as well as any first aid measures you can take in the meantime.

An urgent care center may also be a helpful option. They can assess you for possible infection, treat any oral soft tissue injuries, and provide you with sufficient pain management, gauze, or other materials to tide you over until you can see your dentist.

At Dentist of Torrance, we are equipped to handle dental emergencies, so whether you are one of our regular patients or are on vacation in the Los Angeles area with a dental emergency, give us a call right away. We will get you in the office today to treat you.

What Can I Do to Prevent Dental Emergencies While on Vacation?

While some emergencies are accidental and unavoidable, it is possible to prevent others.

Regular dental care like 6-month checkups, brushing, and flossing can help keep issues from escalating at inconvenient times. Even if you’re between appointments, it’s a good idea to deal with any soreness, loose fillings, or other discomfort with your regular dentist before hitting the road so they don’t have the chance to become an emergency that disrupts your trip.

You should also be sure to pack any tools you usually use to protect your teeth, like a night guard for tooth grinding or a mouthguard and helmet for sports. Also, make sure you have access to your dental insurance information and contact details for your dentist before traveling.

Dealing with a Dental Emergency?

If you have a dental emergency right now, simply follow the steps above for first aid and finding proper care. At Dentist of Torrance, we offer emergency dentistry for existing and new patients. We will be happy to take care of you today.

We hope this information has been helpful. Let us know if you have any questions!

If you're in the Los Angeles area with a dental emergency, please contact Dentist of Torrance at (310) 651-7660.