Emergency Dentistry

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies often occur either as a result of a long-term condition (i.e. tooth pain caused by decay or an oral infection) or physical trauma to the mouth (which usually occurs after a bad fall while playing sports.) While both can be treated at our office, the treatments we provide may vary depending on the severity of your emergency. Regardless, you should always give us a call directly in order to set up a dental appointment. With that said, there are ways to improve your situation depending on the following scenarios.

Toothaches

Using dental floss, gently check to see if any food debris is stuck between your teeth. If pain continues, take an over-the-counter painkiller, such as ibuprofen. If you experience swelling, apply an ice pack to your face. We may provide antibiotics depending on if there is an infection, perform removal of decay, and schedule your for a root canal depending on the amount of damage present.

Chipped or Broken Teeth

Do your best to collect any pieces of the tooth that you can find. Bring them to the office. If you notice bleeding, you can bite down on a gauze pad for about 15 minutes or as long as is needed to make the bleeding stop. Take ibuprofen and apply a cold compress to your cheek. Remove and reapply the compress every 10 minutes. We may cover the tooth with a crown or extract it if the damage is too significant.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Do your best to locate the tooth. Once you’ve found it, pick it up by the crown, making sure not to touch the root. Avoid removing any tissue still attached. After gently rinsing any debris from the tooth with cold water, rinse your mouth out and try to place the tooth back into the open socket. You may also place the tooth in a container of milk or salt water and get to our office within an hour to improve chances of it being reimplanted.

Lost Filling or Crown

While lost fillings and crowns are not necessarily a major dental emergency, the tooth could experience further damage if not treated promptly. That’s why it’s important to get the restoration replaced as soon as you can. Start by rinsing your mouth out with warm water, then attempt to reseat your restoration with dental cement, denture adhesive, or sugar-free chewing gum as a last resort. The filling or crown will likely need to be replaced.

The Best Ways to Prevent Dental Emergencies

When you practice preventive care, you’re already taking the right steps to avoid dental emergencies almost entirely. For example, if you brush twice a day, floss at least once a day, and commit to routine exams and cleanings at our office, you can remove plaque and tartar before it has a chance to cause severe damage. It’s also important to wear a nightguard/mouthguard if you know that you clench and grind your teeth at night or play contact sports often.

The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

Based on the severity of your dental emergency, the cost can fluctuate. For example, if you have tooth pain and you only need to have tooth decay removed as well as antibiotics, your costs will be lower. However, more severe cases like fractures to teeth that require root canal therapy and a crown will mean higher dental care costs. With that said, you should always call our office if you experience a dental emergency as we are always available to help you build an affordable financing plan or confirm your insurance benefits.

Emergency Dentistry FAQs

Do you have questions about how to handle a dental emergency? Are you in need of urgent dental assistance? Our team at Warnick & Semder Dentistry is here to help! Below, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most common questions that we receive from patients about emergency dentistry. If you don’t see the answers you’re looking for, please give us a call.