You can always reach us in the event of a dental emergency! If you have a problem or concern you believe is an emergency, please call our office immediately. For general contact information, click here.

• During our office hours we will make every effort to see you as soon as possible
  
• After office hours call our office number (563-583-6424) to reach Dr. Kuttler. Our voice mail system will give you directions about how to contact Dr. Kuttler. He will respond to your call as soon as possible.
  
• If Dr. Kuttler is out of town, arrangements will have been made with a trusted colleague to
  care for any emergencies that arise. Directions to contact the dentist on call will also be on our office number message.
  
• If you are not currently a patient, please click here to visit our Financial Information page to
  answer any questions you might have regarding financial arrangements for your visit.
  
• If an accident should occur, knowing what to do may prevent the loss of a tooth or save you discomfort or more severe problems.

Knocked Out or Loosened Tooth

If the tooth has been knocked out

• Find the tooth and pick it up by the crown (top)
  
• Rinse the tooth very gently
  
• Place it in a Tooth Saver Cup if you have one (click here for more details), or in cold milk if you don't Call us IMMEDIATELY. We'll want to see you as soon as you can get to our office--with the tooth!

If the tooth has been displaced (but is still present in your mouth)

• Call us immediately.
• Based on the information you can share, we'll determine the next thing to do.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

• Remove any loose pieces to prevent swallowing or choking on them
  
• Avoid chewing further on the area
  
• Call us immediately so we can help you determine the next step and how important it is that you be seen immediately
  
• Prompt action may prevent the need for more extensive treatment or tooth loss.
  

Cut or Bitten Lips or Tongue

• Clean the area gently with a moist cloth
  
• Apply pressure with a cold cloth, preferably with ice in it, to reduce any swelling
  
• If the bleeding doesn't stop within a few minutes or the cut appears more severe than you are comfortable dealing with, contact us or go to a hospital emergency room.
  

Toothache

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area and possibly remove whatever caused the irritation
  
• Never put an aspirin against the tissue in the area as it will burn the tissue.
  
• Call us as soon as possible so we can evaluate the problem.

Jaw - Dislocated or Locked in Place

• Apply warm moist heat in the form of cloths that have been held under very warm water
  
• If the problem persists more than a few minutes, call us for further evaluation.
  

Jaw - Possibly Broken

• Apply cold compresses to control the swelling
  
• Call us immediately or go to a hospital emergency room.
  

Preventing Problems

• There are several things you can do to prevent emergencies from ever occurring.
  
• Always wear a mouth guard when participating in sports or other recreational activities where contact is possible. We would be happy to construct a custom made sports mouth guard for you, or you can purchase a “boil and bite” sports mouth guard at many sporting goods stores. The custom-made mouth guards tend to be more comfortable, however many people find the “boil and bite” mouth guards acceptable.
  
• Avoid chewing ice, un-popped popcorn kernels, and hard candy -- any of which can increase your risk of breaking teeth.
  
• Avoid using your teeth to cut things like tape, threads, etc.