We are on call 24 hours a day. Both Dr. John and Dr. Terry live in Salem and either they or one of our staff are always available by pager after hours.
Our telephone number for the Keizer and Salem offices and our 24 hour emergency number is the same 503/585-5400.
A SPECIAL NOTE TO PATIENTS...
Q. What should you do if you knock out a tooth?
A. PUT THE TOOTH BACK INTO THE HOLE!
If a tooth is knocked out, take the following steps as suggested by the American Academy of Endodontics:
(Note: An Endodontist is someone who specializes in root canals so they see a lot of broken and knocked out teeth)
- Locate the tooth immediately. Do not leave it at the site of the accident. The tooth should be handled carefully; touch only the crown (the section normally visible in the mouth) to minimize injury to the root.
- If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse with water only. Remember not to handle the root surface.
- Do not use soap or chemicals.
- Do not scrub the tooth.
- Do not dry the tooth.
- Do not wrap the tooth in a tissue or cloth.
- Reposition the tooth in the socket immediately if possible. Keep in mind, there will be a lot of blood; this is a good thing. The sooner the tooth is replaced, the greater likelihood it will survive. To reinsert, carefully push the tooth into the socket with your fingers or position it above the socket and close the mouth slowly. Hold the tooth in place with your fingers or by gently biting down on it.
- Keep the tooth moist at all times. The tooth must no be left outside the mouth to dry. If it cannot be replaced in the socket, put it in one of the following:
- An Emergency tooth preservation kit.
- A glass of milk.
- The mouth, next to the cheek.
- If none of these is practical, cover the tooth with water (with a pinch of salt if possible.)
- See your dentist or an endodontist as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes.
It is possible to save the tooth if it has been outside the mouth longer than 30 minutes, but again, the likelihood of survival decreases as time goes by.
Saving your natural tooth should always be your first choice, not only following an injury, but also during the normal course of your life. When dental care is needed, nothing, not even the most advanced bridges or implants can truly replace your natural tooth.
> Download the full-length article with special notes from Dr. McDonald.
