Flagstaff, Arizona - Woodlands Village Dentistry, an emergency dentist in Flagstaff, is alerting local residents about common mistakes made during dental emergencies that can lead to permanent tooth loss and serious complications. The practice, serving the Flagstaff community since 1992, reports that many dental emergencies worsen due to preventable errors in the critical minutes following an injury or sudden dental problem.

According to the American Dental Association, dental emergencies account for over 2 million emergency department visits each year. Many of these cases result from mishandling knocked-out teeth, delaying treatment, or using improper first-aid techniques that destroy the chance of saving natural teeth.

Dr. Elliot Martich of Woodlands Village Dentistry explains that awareness and proper response techniques make the difference between saving and losing a tooth. The practice sees patients throughout Flagstaff who could have avoided extractions if they had known the correct steps to take immediately after a dental injury.

Most Common Mistakes That Cost People Their Teeth

One of the biggest mistakes people make is touching a knocked-out tooth by the root instead of the crown. This destroys delicate cells needed for successful replantation. Another critical error involves storing knocked-out teeth in tap water rather than milk or saline solution. Tap water damages the periodontal ligament cells that help teeth reattach to the jawbone.

Delaying professional care is another serious mistake. Research shows that teeth replanted within 30 minutes have a 90% survival rate, dropping to less than 5% after two hours. Many people wait to see if pain improves on its own, not realizing that time directly impacts whether their tooth can be saved.

When to Seek Emergency Dental Care

Woodlands Village Dentistry urges residents to contact an emergency dentist in Flagstaff immediately for knocked-out teeth, severe toothaches, uncontrolled bleeding, broken teeth, facial swelling, or dental trauma. These situations require professional treatment within minutes to hours for the best outcomes.

The practice emphasizes that emergency dental care near you offers better outcomes than hospital emergency rooms for dental injuries. While emergency rooms can provide pain relief, they typically lack the equipment and training to save knocked-out teeth or perform other dental procedures.

Proper First-Aid Steps Save Teeth

For knocked-out teeth, people should hold the tooth only by the crown, rinse it gently with milk if dirty, and place it back in the socket if possible. If reinsertion is not possible, store the tooth in milk and get to emergency dental care in Flagstaff within 30 minutes.

For severe toothaches or infections showing facial swelling, residents should contact their dentist immediately rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen. Dental infections can spread to the jaw, neck, and bloodstream if left untreated.

The practice also warns against taking aspirin for dental pain before emergency treatment, as aspirin thins blood and makes controlling bleeding more difficult during dental procedures. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen are safer choices for pain relief while waiting for professional care.

For more information or to schedule emergency dental care in Flagstaff, call (928) 774-5599 or email woodlandsvillagedentistrydmd@gmail.com.

About Woodlands Village Dentistry

Woodlands Village Dentistry has provided general dental services to Flagstaff families since 1992. The practice maintains high levels of accreditation and pursues ongoing education on the latest technologies and trends in dentistry. Located at 1120 W University Ave Ste 103 across from Harkins Theatres, the office features modern dental equipment, including digital x-ray,s in a clean, calm environment with terrific views of the peaks. The caring staff provides dentistry in a relaxed atmosphere with convenient hours available. Services include general dentistry, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and emergency dental care for patients throughout Flagstaff and northern Arizona.

Contact Information:

Woodlands Village Dentistry

1120 W University Ave Ste 103
Flagstaff,, AZ 86001
United States

Elliot Martich
https://woodlandsvillagedentistry.com/