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.
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.