Dental Emergencies

No matter how careful you are in your everyday life, accidents always happen! You and your family must be prepared for all dental emergencies. At Oyster Bay Family Dentists, Drs. Robert West and Denise VeyVoda offer emergency dental services. Call our Oyster Bay, NY, office right away when an accident occurs. Whether you hurt yourself playing sports, you fell or received facial trauma, we are here for you.

 

You must contact us as soon as your injury occurs. The quicker you do, the faster we can treat you. If you can’t get in contact with us for some reason, consider going to your local emergency department. Here is a basic guide while you wait for dental services:

 

-Dental crowns: whether they are missing or loose, you must locate the crown itself. If possible, try to place it back on the tooth. If it fits, try keeping it in place temporarily with over-the-counter denture cream.

-Missing filling: similar to a dental crown, it’s important to find it. Cover the area with sugarless gum for temporary protection.

-Toothaches: before scheduling an appointment, clean the area thoroughly. In certain cases, food or debris can get trapped between the teeth. This might be what’s irritating your mouth. If cleaning doesn’t work, see us right away.

-Tooth Injuries: when it comes to any injury directly to the tooth, try to save as much of the tooth as possible. If you break or chip a tooth, wash your mouth out while saving any of the fragments. Then apply an icepack to your face to reduce the swelling. For teeth that are only partially knocked out or dislodged, avoid touching the area at all costs. Reduce the swelling with anti-inflammatory medication. Lastly, we come to teeth that are completely knocked out. Find the tooth and try to place it back in its spot. If it won’t fit, get a cold glass of milk or salt-water, placing the tooth within it. This keeps the tooth alive while you wait for reattachment.

 

Your family should always be prepared for a dental emergency. When one happens, contact The Oyster Bay Family Dentists right away. We are conveniently located in Oyster Bay, NY. To schedule your emergency appointment with Drs. Robert West or Denise VeyVoda, call 516-922-5730. You can also visit their website.

Post-Operative Swelling

We do a lot of restorative work and extractions at The Oyster Bay Family Dentists. Some of our procedures can get pretty involved, but tooth extractions are usually a simple process. Following any kind of surgery, some swelling is expected, which is why patients should know what to expect and how to handle it.

The body’s inflammatory response rushes white blood cells and nutrients to the site of an injury. It will usually be more severe following complicated procedures. However, even a simple extraction will result in noticeable swelling within twenty-four hours. Patients should minimize this by using cold-packs. A cold pack can be held against the skin for fifteen minutes at a time, and then removed for fifteen minutes. If all goes well, swelling will peak within thirty-six hours, and patients can then work to reduce it by applying the same procedure with hot packs.

If the swelling continues to get worse forty-eight hours after the procedure, the patient should inform us. We also need to know if the skin turns black or white, as that could indicate infection. For many procedures, patients’ lips are anesthetized. Biting down on them when they are in this state could lead to a lot of swelling, but swollen lips will usually get better on their own unless the skin is broken and they become infected.

Drs. Denise VeyVoda and Robert G. West operate The Oyster Bay Family Dentists at 123 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York, 11771. To schedule an appointment, call 516-922-5730 or visit Oyster Bay Dentists and fill out a contact sheet.

When to Replace Fillings

Nobody should put up with a toothache. Sensitive teeth require the attention of a dentist, and if the problem is related to a filling, it will not get better on its own. At the Oyster Bay Family Dentists, we want our patients to be aware of when a filling needs to be replaced.

Before placement of a filling, the decayed portion of the tooth is drilled away. This may cause discomfort for the patient for a few days, but the pain should not be severe or last for long. The patient also should not have any difficulty closing their teeth together. If they do, the filling is “high” and needs to be contoured. If the filling seems to be leaking, the material must have changed shape while setting and needs to be removed to prevent infection.

The bonding used to cement teeth is not permanent. The upper lifespan of a filling is about ten years. After that, the bonding may crack, creating a place for bacteria to hide in. During regular dental appointments, a dentist will check to ensure the stability of the patient’s fillings and remove ones that are at risk of failure.

Drs. Denise VeyVoda and Robert G. West operate The Oyster Bay Family Dentists at 123 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York, 11771. To schedule an appointment, call 516-922-5730 or visit Oyster Bay Dentists and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Handling Dental Emergencies

At The Oyster Bay Family Dentists, we understand that accidents happen and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth. If you or your child experience some sort of trauma to your mouth for whatever reason, please give us a call immediately. Meanwhile, in the midst of a dental emergency, utilize these tips to ensure a smooth recovery. 

• For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it between your cheek and gums, or use a tooth preservation product that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance.


• For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area.


• If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress.


• For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any food caught between teeth.

To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oysterbaydentists.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with The Oyster Bay Family Dentists of Oyster Bay, NY, call 516-922-5730.