A Hundred Miles From The Nearest Dentist? What To Do In An Emergency
Posted on: 17 June 2017
Living far from a city is often the dream of many, but unfortunately it comes with a price. In times of emergency, it could seriously cost you. Take emergency dentistry, for example. If you break a tooth and you live a hundred miles away from the nearest dentist (or can't get to Family First Dentistry LLC), what do you do? Start with the following.
Recover the Piece of Tooth
If the broken piece of tooth is large enough (i.e., half or greater), and if you can find it when it falls out, recover it. Put it on ice to slow the possibility that this part of the tooth will die. Grab an ice pack and place it on the part of the tooth that is still in your mouth. It will be excruciating at first, and then it should go numb. Hopefully, you have someone else who is old enough to drive and get you to the emergency dentist, or a helipad, whichever comes first.
Do Not Make Any Stops Along the Way If You Can Help It
Time is of the essence when you need to repair a broken tooth. Your driver should be free of any distractions. Even though a hundred-mile trip is still a long shot to keep the tooth alive, your odds of success decrease if you stop for anything other than traffic signs and signals.
If a Police Officer Pulls You Over
Do not refrain from announcing right away what the problem is. In emergency situations when you live so far away from help, police officers can assist you. They can try to find you the fastest route to help by offering advice on which roads not to travel because of delays. If you just sit and wait without saying anything to the officer, your tooth is in jeopardy.
Once You Arrive at the Dentist, Announce the Emergency
Most dentists tend to prioritize patient cases when an emergency presents itself. They do so by building "flex time" into their daily schedules and providing patients with after-hours emergency numbers (which can also be used during office hours to alert the dentist to an incoming emergency). If you just walk in and wait to be seen, you are in serious trouble. Tell the office staff right away about your situation. It may take about ten minutes or less before the dentist can get set up for your broken tooth, but then the tooth can be washed, examined, and bonded back together. The hope is that the cold of the ice will delay the inevitable and your tooth, once fixed and warmed back up, will heal just fine.
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