Do you know what to do in a dental emergency? Knowing what to do and doing it quickly can make a huge difference in any health related emergency. We hope that you will never be faced with a real dental problem; but here are a few suggestions to how to handle different situations.

If you have a tooth knocked out, it is extremely important to find the tooth and to place it in a container of milk. Do NOT wipe the tooth off; leave the tooth exactly as you find it, place it in milk, and call the office (301-774-3800) for the emergency cell number of the doctor on call. The tooth can often be repositioned in the mouth and it may heal if the tooth is handle correctly and it is repositioned soon after the injury. But cleaning it will remove the tiny tissue ligaments that are so important in the stability of the tooth in your mouth and placing it in milk will keep it from drying out. Do NOT go to the hospital; no hospital emergency room is equipped to handle dental problems.

If you or one of your children has trauma to a tooth and it chips or is loose in the mouth, call the office to get the cell number of the doctor on call. We will want to see this kind of emergency as soon as possible to minimize the damage done to the nerve of the tooth.