Smile Zone

It’s official. Summer vacation has begun. The days spent at the park and swimming pool can also become the days bike accidents and baseball injuries happen. Never fear though, Smile Zone is here. Did you know we have an after-hours emergency number to help when dental accidents happen? Well, we do. And, since you’re my loyal reader, I’m going to tell you how to reach us any time. All you need to do is call Smile Zone. Pretty simple, right? One of the Smile Zone crew members will answer the phone during business hours. If it’s after business hours, as all emergencies seem to be, the voicemail recording gives you the number to our after- hours emergency number. When you call this emergency number, you’ll reach one of Smile Zone’s dental assistants. The dental assistant will help you to handle whatever type of dental emergency you’re having. The injuries we see most often in summer involve broken teeth or teeth that have been knocked out. With that in mind, let me share a few tips with you. If your child breaks a tooth, rinse any dirt from the injured area with warm water and then place a cold compress over the injury. Look around for any of the tooth fragments and save them if you find them. Call Smile Zone as soon as possible.  If your child actually knocks their tooth out you’ll follow similar steps. You’ll want to find the tooth. When you find the tooth, you’ll want to pick it up by the top portion, not the root, and then gently rinse the tooth. DO NOT clean or unnecessarily handle the tooth. Try to reinsert the tooth in its socket. Have the child hold the tooth in place by biting on a clean gauze or cloth. If you can’t reinsert the tooth, immediately place the tooth in a cup of tap water or milk. Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth- Call Smile Zone immediately. Always remember, do not panic! We’re here to help however we can. The after-hours emergency number is just another way we strive to provide excellent patient care. We wish you a fun, and safe, summer!