If you are experiencing a dental emergency, contact our office immediately at 214.216.6577
Dental emergencies can arise anytime and should be handled promptly to avoid pain or further damage. While all dental concerns should be addressed with your dentist as soon as possible, we do have some tips for common dental emergencies that our office provides care for. We will try our best to schedule you for a same-day appointment as soon as we are notified of your dental emergency.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency occurs when an issue arises that can’t wait for treatment. For example, a chipped tooth can be a simple cosmetic issue. A small chip off your tooth isn’t something you have to worry about immediately, but if a bigger chunk of your tooth breaks off, dental nerves are exposed, and it causes a lot of pain. Something like this is a sign that you should contact our office immediately to take care of this.
The most common dental emergency is tooth pain. There are many different kinds of pain you can experience. Pain that’s constant and doesn’t go away is something that should be looked at. Sudden, sharp pain is the same. Tooth pain can be various things, so it’s important to get it looked at by a professional. The various causes of pain all have different treatment methods. Early intervention is always important.
If trauma or injury causes tooth pain, it’s usually easy for you to notice, however other causes aren’t always visible. Severe tooth decay may appear visible, but it’s usually hidden inside your tooth. An abscess or infection is usually in the middle of the tooth or under it. Usually, you won’t be able to see these at all. They need to be diagnosed by a dental professional so that you can get the proper treatment.
Tips For Dental Emergencies
When handling a dental emergency, remain calm and act with your best judgment on how to proceed. Often, we find that these tips can be the difference between losing and saving a tooth.
- Chipped or cracked tooth: Gently rinse the area with warm water. A cold compress outside the mouth can minimize pain and swelling. If you can recover the missing piece of the tooth, please do and bring it with you to your evaluation.
- Tooth pain: Sudden tooth pain can indicate a range of potential concerns and should be professionally evaluated. Rinsing with warm water and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can reduce your discomfort at home. Do not put aspirin directly on the aching tooth or gum tissues.
- Knocked out tooth: Locate the lost tooth if possible and pick it up gently by the crown. Avoid touching the root. Place the tooth in a container of warm milk or hold it between the cheeks and the gums until you can be seen in our office. It is essential to keep the tooth moist as this will help us salvage it.
- A broken dental crown, bridge, or denture: Temporary over-the-counter dental cement can help secure a fractured dental crown until you can be seen. Our office should address a broken or slipping bridge or denture as soon as possible.
DENTAL EMERGENCY FAQS
What is considered to be a dental emergency?
In the dentistry field, an emergency is defined as any condition that necessitates rapid care to prevent further injury, excruciating pain, or save a tooth. If you are experiencing a dental emergency call our office today!
Can an emergency dentist remove teeth?
Only in circumstances where the tooth needs removal quickly (within 24 to 48 hours), can emergency tooth extraction be considered. Extraction of a tooth is an emergency if the patient is in excruciating pain, has a severe crack or fracture, or has any other condition that could compromise their oral health.