Practical Preparation for Setting Out at Night
On a long journey, preparation eases both the drive and the work that follows.
The call before you set out
Over a long distance the first step is to call, and it helps in two ways. The first is assessment: when the pain began, whether it arose spontaneously, whether there is swelling, fever or difficulty swallowing — the urgency becomes considerably clearer, and you are given first-aid guidance for the journey.
The second is preparation. The moment you set out we begin preparing, so the examination starts without a wait on arrival — a meaningful difference at the end of a 110 km drive. Mentioning chronic conditions, current medicines and allergies during that call makes planning easier.
Road conditions and driving
Part of the route is mountain road, and in winter the temperature drop, fog and the chance of ice are greater than on the coast. Checking the weather and road conditions before leaving is a safety step in itself.
Severe toothache divides your attention, and a painkiller adds its own effect. If possible do not drive yourself; have someone with you and take short breaks on a long journey. If the pain increases markedly on the way, the swelling grows or you struggle to swallow, head for the nearest hospital emergency department instead and let us know.
Managing the pain during the journey
- Keep your head raised; bending forward increases pressure and pain
- Apply cold to the cheek through a thin cloth on the painful side
- Do not use a hot towel or hot water bottle
- Avoid very hot and very cold drinks on the way
- Do not chew anything on that side
- Note the name, dose and time of any medicine taken
- If there is bleeding, keep up gauze pressure during the journey
Before You Arrive from Ahatli: What to Do in the First Hour
What you can do before setting out from Ahatli does not replace treatment, but it keeps the situation from worsening and buys you time.
Before leaving Ahatli
What you should do before setting out from Ahatli depends on your complaint, and detailed first-aid steps for each are on the relevant page. On the way from Emergency in Ahatli, using the wrong measure can make things worse, so it matters which page you read — applying heat to swelling spreads the infection, and placing a painkiller tablet on the tooth burns the gum.
- Toothache
- Dental abscess and facial swelling
- A broken or cracked tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- Bleeding after an extraction
What calling achieves for Ahatli
Calling as you set out from Ahatli does two things: you receive first-aid guidance suited to your situation, and the radiograph and surgery are prepared while you travel. For patients coming from across Elmali, this arrangement noticeably shortens the wait.
What an Emergency Visit Covers for a Patient from Ahatli
For a patient attending as an emergency from Ahatli, the aim is to stop the pain and the infection; definitive work is left to a planned appointment.
Completed the same night for Ahatli
Examination and a radiograph, opening the canal to release pressure, draining an abscess, stopping bleeding, temporarily sealing a broken tooth, splinting a loose tooth and adjusting a poking orthodontic wire are all completed the same night for a patient from Ahatli as well.
Left to a later visit for Ahatli
For a patient from Emergency in Ahatli, completing the root filling, making a crown or onlay, the permanent restoration and the implant and prosthetic stages are done at planned appointments. If you are coming from Ahatli, these are combined according to your journey and given to you in writing, so you do not have to travel from Elmali repeatedly.
