Most of the time a dental emergency will happen when you are not even expecting it. Even simple, everyday activities like playing your favorite sport or eating an apple can end with a chipped, cracked, or completely knocked-out tooth. An emergency can have many different underlying causes – decay, infection, physical trauma – and our experts at Havasu Dentistry are here to help you no matter what the situation is. Call us as soon as you realize you need urgent dental care, and we will make arrangements to see you as soon as possible for emergency dentistry in Lake Havasu City, AZ.
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When you’re experiencing a dental emergency, you have to realize that the issue most likely won’t heal on its own; in fact, it is likely to grow worse and may eventually require more complex forms of treatment. As soon as you suspect that you need dental care, get in touch with us and explain your situation. Once we have a grasp on what’s going on, we can give you advice for controlling the damage and limiting the pain. Below are some first aid tips you should always keep in mind.
The pain might be due to a food particle that got trapped between your teeth, so try flossing first. If the cause lies elsewhere, you can try and relieve the inflammation with ibuprofen or a similar kind of medication (except for aspirin, which could cause a burning sensation). If the toothache is linked to decay or infection, you might need a filling, a crown, or root canal therapy.
Gather the pieces of the tooth and bring them with you if possible. The tooth will be weakened, so don’t use it to bite or chew anything. You can sometimes wait until normal business hours to receive treatment if the tooth is simply minorly chipped and isn’t causing pain. Sometimes a broken tooth is accompanied by swelling; you can reduce it by applying a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time.
First, do not panic; the tooth can likely be replanted, but you’ll need to get to our dental office within the hour. Pick the tooth up by the end used for chewing and gently rinse it. (Be careful not to remove any tissue still attached to the root.) Put the tooth back in its socket where possible, or keep it in a container of milk. Bear in mind that if replanting the tooth isn’t possible, we can offer dental implants and other replacement options.
A crown can be temporarily reattached to the tooth with dental cement, denture adhesive, petroleum jelly, or sugar-free gum. If it’s not possible to put the restoration back in place, try applying clove oil to reduce sensitivity. More often than not, you’ll need an entirely new crown or filling to replace the old one.
Due to their unpredictable nature, it’s not always possible to avoid dental emergencies entirely, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to reduce the risk, such as:
Brushing and flossing at least two times every day
Having a routine dental checkup and cleaning performed every six months
Not chewing on hard foods like ice or popcorn kernels as well as inedible objects such as pen tips and packages.
Wearing a mouthguard to protect your teeth from grinding at night or accidents while playing sports.
It is hard to give a useful general estimate of what a dental emergency will cost. Every situation is unique, and we need to perform a thorough examination of your mouth to narrow down what kind of treatment you need; for example, some forms of tooth decay can be addressed with a simple cleaning and filling while others will require a more comprehensive approach to care. You can trust us to make conservative treatment recommendations that are truly necessary for restoring your oral health. Don’t forget to ask about our flexible financing options for making your care as affordable as possible.
If you think you or a loved one is experiencing a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to give us a call right away. We can save your damaged teeth with quick, compassionate, and effective care when you need it most. While we hope you never need emergency dental care, we want you to be prepared just in case so you can act quickly and correctly if you need to. For your convenience, we’ve gathered some of the most common questions we get about dental emergencies. Remember, if you have any questions, don’t wait to give us a call.
If you have a broken or painful tooth, you’ll almost always save time, money, and hassle by giving us a call before going straight to the emergency room. While not all ERs have a dentist on staff, we have years of experience handling all sorts of dental emergencies and can help restore your oral health right away. However, if you are experiencing any of the following, you should head to your local ER:
Dislocated or broken jaw.
Bleeding that hasn’t stopped in 10 minutes.
Swelling in the mouth, jaw, or face that’s making it difficult to swallow or breathe.
Not all dental emergencies are easy to identify. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, come see us right away:
Do I have intense dental pain?
Do my teeth feel loose or out of place?
Is my tooth visibly damaged?
Are my gums swollen and painful?
If you’re ever unsure whether you need to come in for urgent dental care or not, give us a call! We can assess your situation over the phone to determine how quickly you need to see your dentist. In addition, we’ll give you personalized first aid advice to manage your situation until you can reach us.
Any dental pain can potentially get worse and should be treated in a timely manner. However, most toothaches are caused by non-urgent issues such as cavities. On the other hand, some dental pain is an indicator of a serious issue that needs immediate attention from your emergency dentist. Your toothache may be an emergency if you are also experiencing:
Severe pain that is interfering with your daily life.
Discoloration of the painful tooth.
Looseness in the painful tooth.
Sore, inflamed, or easily bleeding gums, or a small bump on the gums.
Signs of infection, such as swelling, fever, or fatigue.
There are a variety of ways you can manage dental pain until you can reach our office. In addition to rinsing your mouth out with saltwater and applying an ice pack, you can also take over-the-counter pain relievers. Make sure to read the instructions carefully and take them as directed. However, it’s important to remember that even if you can handle your toothache at home with store-bought products, you still need to come see us for treatment. Over-the-counter pain relievers are a temporary solution that won’t address the underlying, potentially serious problem, so come see us right away if your toothache lasts for more than a day.
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Office Hours
Monday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
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