Probably the best dentist’s office I’ll ever visit and I’m so grateful I found them when I did! Woodpoint Dental changed my life, undoing not only years of neglect, but also several botched/unfinished procedures my last dentist left me with. Everyone who works here is caring, attentive, and exceptional at what they do, and every experience I’ve had here has been above and beyond positive. My one complaint is that they no longer accept my insurance and I’m going to miss them dearly.
The best Halloween stories usually involve elaborate costumes, overflowing candy bags, and the house that made everyone jump. A cracked tooth or injured mouth isn’t the kind of memory anyone wants to add to the list. Yet between crunchy treats, dimly lit walkways, and all the excitement of the evening, dental problems can happen when you least expect them.
Knowing what to do after a Halloween dental scare can help you protect an injured tooth or tender tissue while you arrange the appropriate professional care.
Take a Different Approach to a Broken Tooth
You don’t need to be eating the hardest candy in the bucket to damage a tooth. A tooth weakened by decay or an older restoration may break under biting pressure, while a trip or collision can cause a fracture without any candy being involved.
If you notice a chip or break, rinse gently with warm water. Look for fragments and set them aside for your dentist. Keep chewing pressure away from the affected tooth, and use a cold compress externally if your cheek begins to swell.
A small fracture may seem like something that can wait indefinitely, particularly when it doesn’t hurt. However, only a dental examination can determine how much of the tooth has actually been affected.
Treat a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth as Urgent
When a permanent tooth is knocked out, there’s no reason to wait and see how it feels tomorrow. Seek emergency dental care right away.
While you’re getting ready to leave:
- Retrieve the tooth by holding its crown rather than its root.
- Rinse away dirt gently with water if necessary.
- Don’t scrub, scrape, or attempt to thoroughly clean the root.
- Carefully return the tooth to its socket if it can be done easily.
- If reinsertion isn’t possible, place the tooth in milk or a tooth-preservation solution to keep it moist.
Don’t attempt to reinsert a child’s knocked-out baby tooth. Doing so could injure the permanent tooth developing below the surface.
Check Your Smile After Chewy Candy
Sometimes Halloween dental trouble is surprisingly quiet. There may be no fall, blood, or sudden pain—you simply realize that a filling is no longer where it’s supposed to be.
Sticky candies can pull on existing restorations, especially if a filling was already compromised. Once it’s gone, the uncovered tooth may become sensitive to sweets or hot and cold temperatures. Keep the area clean, chew on the opposite side, and arrange an appointment to have the tooth checked and repaired.
Give Lips and Tongues Proper First Aid
A fall that doesn’t break a tooth can still cause the teeth to cut the lip or tongue. Because oral tissues have a rich blood supply, these injuries can produce an alarming amount of bleeding.
Gently clean the wound and hold clean gauze against it with consistent pressure. Applying something cold may reduce swelling. Seek prompt medical attention if the cut is deep, the edges remain far apart, or bleeding doesn’t stop despite continued pressure.
Make Safety Part of the Festivities
You don’t have to take the adventure out of trick-or-treating to reduce a few common risks. Make sure costumes fit well enough for easy walking, check that masks don’t obstruct vision, and use adequate lighting around stairs and sidewalks. When it’s time to investigate the candy haul, be especially careful with treats that are extremely hard or sticky.
If a Halloween dental scare happens despite your precautions, don’t wait for significant discomfort to decide whether a dentist should take a look. Some injuries can be deceptive at first. Contact Woodpoint Dental to schedule an appointment and make sure an unexpected Halloween problem doesn’t continue haunting your smile. Call us at 718-866-3806 Brooklyn or 516-347-7133 Plainview to schedule your visit. You can also schedule online at Brooklyn or Plainview.