Burns & Eye/Dental Emergencies

Overview

Cool burns promptly, protect tissues, and evacuate when severity, location, or mechanism demands. For chemical eye exposures, irrigate early and continuously; for penetrating eye injuries, shield without pressure. For dental avulsions, handle by the crown and reimplant immediately when feasible or store in a tooth preservation medium.

Burns

Cool-Water Rule

Cool the burn promptly with cool (not cold) clean water for 10–20 minutes. Start as soon as possible, up to 3 hours after injury. Avoid ice/ice water which can worsen tissue damage.

Covering

After cooling, cover loosely with clean, non‑adherent dressing or plastic wrap. Do not apply butter/oils/ointments initially. Remove rings/watches before swelling.

When to Evacuate

Seek medical care for:

• Partial‑thickness burns >10% total body surface area (TBSA) in adults or any size in children/elderly
• Burns to face, hands, feet, genitals, or major joints
• Circumferential burns of limbs or chest
• Inhalation injury (soot around nose/mouth, hoarseness), electrical or chemical burns
• Signs of infection (increasing pain, redness, pus, fever)

Eye Injuries

Flush

For chemical exposures, flush immediately with copious clean water or saline for at least 15–20 minutes; hold eyelids open; roll eyes to expose all surfaces.

💡 Tip: For dry powders (e.g., cement/lime), gently brush off excess before irrigation to reduce heat when water is added.

Patch

Do not put pressure on a suspected penetrating injury. Use a rigid eye shield (or taped paper cup) rather than a pressure patch; evacuate urgently.

For minor corneal abrasions (no vision change, no foreign body): Light patch for comfort; avoid contacts; consider medical evaluation.

Dental Emergencies

Broken Tooth

Rinse mouth gently; cover sharp edges with dental wax/sugarless gum; pain control per OTC guidance; avoid heat/cold extremes.

Preservation Medium

For an avulsed (knocked‑out) adult tooth: Handle by the crown (white part), not the root; gently rinse debris (don’t scrub); if the patient is conscious and cooperative, reimplant immediately and have them bite on gauze. If not, store in tooth preservation solution (e.g., Save‑a‑Tooth), cold milk, or saliva (cheek pouch). Seek dental care urgently—best outcomes within 30–60 minutes.

⚠️ Caution: Do not reimplant primary (baby) teeth—risk to developing permanent teeth. Never store teeth dry or wrapped in tissue.

☑️ Checklist — Burns/Eye/Dental

• Cool burns 10–20 minutes; no ice/oils; remove constricting items
• Cover with clean, non‑adherent dressing; monitor for infection
• Eye chemicals: flush 15–20 minutes; shield penetrating injuries
• Dental avulsion: handle crown only; reimplant or place in milk/specified medium; urgent dental care

Examples

• Cooking spill: Partial‑thickness burn to forearm; cool 15 minutes; cover with clean film; elevate; seek care if large or circumferential.
• Lye splash: Immediate continuous eye irrigation 20 minutes; remove contacts; shield and evacuate.

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Common Mistakes

• Using ice or very cold water on burns (worsens tissue damage); applying oils/ointments immediately.
• Leaving rings/watches on swelling limbs; removing skin or popping blisters.
• Pressure‑patching a suspected penetrating eye injury instead of shielding.
• Irrigating chemical eye burns too briefly; failing to remove contact lenses during irrigation.
• Scrubbing or touching the root of an avulsed tooth; storing it dry instead of in a preservation medium.

Key Takeaways

• Prompt cooling limits burn depth; avoid ice and home remedies.
• Protect the airway and eyes; shield, don’t press, for penetrating injuries.
• Reimplant adult teeth immediately when feasible; time is critical.

Scenarios

🧭 Scenario (Kitchen scald): Pot tips on forearm.
🔍 Decisions: Ice vs cool water; ointments; rings.
✅ Outcome: You cool under running water 15 minutes, remove ring, cover with clean film, and monitor.
🧠 Lessons: Cool‑water rule; remove constrictors early
🏋️ Drill: Time yourself cooling for the full 15 minutes.

🧭 Scenario (Shop lye splash): Eye burning.
🔍 Decisions: Flush vs patch; duration; contacts.
✅ Outcome: You flush continuously 20 minutes, remove contacts, shield, and evacuate.
🧠 Lessons: Irrigate early, long, and lots; shield don’t press
🏋️ Drill: Stage a 1‑L eyewash at home/shop.