First Aid

First Aid (patients of record can call (575) 885-2020 at any time to report an emergency)

Find below, first aid tips you can use when you encounter certain problems.

Brace breakage - Retain the broken part and contact our office to book you for a repair visit.
Swallowed a piece of appliance - Do not panic. Be calm. The piece will normally be eliminated in a bowel movement. However, if you experience breathing difficulty, this becomes an emergency and you must look for immediate medical help. If the piece is stuck, X-ray will be used to locate it for removal.
Sore teeth - Use Tylenol/Ibuprofen or Aspirin to relieve the soreness.
Cracked retainer - Carefully take out the retainer and gather the pieces for expert repair at our office.
Cut tongue, gums or inside of the cheek - Use your finger to apply pressure for a few minutes on the bleeding spot. If after some minutes the bleeding did not clot, contact your dentist or orthodontist immediately.
Food particles between the teeth - Extract the particles with either a proxy brush or dental floss. Do not forget to rinse your mouth thoroughly after each meal.
Wire irritation - Gently reposition the wire away from the affected spot with the help of a Q-Tip or eraser end of a pencil. If the wire cannot be repositioned, use a small amount of sugar-free gum, cotton ball or small wax piece to cover the wire's tip until you can secure an appointment to see Dr. Waters for an adjustment.
Broken out wire - Gently push back the wire into its pipe or tube using a clean pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. If there is no irritation from the wire, cover the affected area with a piece of wax. However, if the wire is irritating you and the wax does not offer any comfort, simply cut the wire with a wire cutter towards the end of the last brace. This is only recommended if you cannot access, immediate professional assistance.
Loose bracket - We suggest you contact us immediately for assistance. In the mean time, since the bracket will normally still be attached to the main wire by a small ring, simply use eyebrow tweezers to change the position of the brace if the irritation becomes unbearable.
Disengaged rubber spacer - Pass two pieces of dental floss through the spacer, and then stretch the spacer by pulling on the two pieces of floss. Next, insert the spacer between the teeth until its lower half is directly below the narrow spot between the teeth. Finally, take off the floss so that only the spacer is left in its normal position.