Prompt dental care is essential if you have a dental emergency, but it's not always easy to decide if a problem is truly an emergency. Dr. 
Samuel Kim, your Apple Valley, CA, dentist, describes a few situations that require emergency dental treatment.
Your tooth was knocked out
Any hard blow to your mouth can knock out teeth. Luckily, your tooth may not be lost forever if you receive emergency dental treatment. If you see your dentist within an hour, it may be possible to reimplant your tooth.
Keeping the tooth hydrated while you travel to your emergency appointment is very important. Rinse the tooth in water to remove dirt and gently place it back in the socket. If you can't easily put the tooth in your socket, don't worry. Place it in your mouth between your teeth and your cheek, or wrap it in gauze and put in a container with milk or your saliva.
Your tooth is loose
Blows can also loosen teeth or knock them out of position. Both of these situations require emergency dental treatment. If your tooth has moved out of position, gently push it back into place if you can. Avoid putting any pressure on the tooth.
You have lacerations
Lacerations to your mouth, jaw and face are also dental emergencies. Hold a clean cloth against the laceration to stop the bleeding and take over-the-counter medications to ease the pain.
Your tooth broke
Broken teeth can be painful, particularly if the break exposes the nerve-laden pulp at the center of your teeth. Decrease the pain by applying a little dental cement to the tooth and take a pain reliever to keep discomfort under control until it's time for your emergency appointment.
You have an abscess
Dental abscesses occur when tooth pulp becomes infected. Abscesses are often very painful and can cause facial or jaw swelling, fever and swollen lymph nodes. You may also notice a little bump that looks like a pimple on your gum. Abscesses require emergency treatment because the infection can spread throughout your body if you don't receive antibiotic treatment. Your Apple Valley dentist can also prescribe pain medication that will reduce your discomfort.
If you experience any of these dental emergencies, get in touch with Dr. Kim, your Apple Valley, CA, dentist, immediately. Call him at (760) 247-6007 to arrange emergency dental treatment.