Your dental emergency is thankfully now behind you. Your tooth was saved, the pain is gone, and you feel normal again. Now what? Most people think they’re done after a dental emergency is resolved. However, there’s still work to be done. That work is prevention, to keep emergencies from happening again.
Here are some next steps:
- Protect the repaired area by being gentle when you brush and floss
- Stay away from hard, sticky, or extremely hot foods while you’re healing
- Schedule a follow-up exam within a couple of weeks
- Work with your dentist to figure out the root cause
- Continue scheduling regular preventive cleanings and exams
Step 1: Protect the Repair Site
First, you need to protect the area in your mouth where you had dental work done. It’s healing and vulnerable. How you treat it in the first few days after a repair matters. Always follow your dentist’s instructions! Here are some general tips. Brush the area carefully with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Avoid using strong mouthwash; instead, rinse with warm salt water. Don’t floss around the repair site for the first day, then floss very gently.
Hard foods can be rough on newly repaired teeth. Stick to soft, room-temperature foods for a few days. Save that piping hot soup or rock candy for when you are all healed up.
Step 2: Schedule a Follow-Up Exam
Emergency visits are for dealing with immediate problems. You still need preventive care. When you go in for an emergency visit, your dentist is focused on stabilizing your tooth and stopping your pain. When you go in for a follow-up appointment, your dentist will check your other teeth, gum health, and look for developing problems. This is how you stop problems before you end up at an emergency dental appointment.
At Urgent Dental Care, we provide comprehensive preventive and routine dental care, as well as emergency services. This is important because regular cleanings and exams keep you healthy for the long term.
Step 3: Identify and Deal With the Root Cause
Something caused a dental emergency. Working with your dentist to figure out the root cause will help prevent another emergency. For example, do you wake up with jaw pain? Maybe you grind your teeth when you’re sleeping. Has it been years since your last cleaning? Your teeth might be silently decaying.
Your West Allis dentist can identify these patterns during preventive follow-up visits.
Book a Preventive Visit With Your West Allis Dentist
Call (414) 667-0911 to schedule your preventive care appointment. This is an opportunity to turn your dental emergency into lasting oral health.